Tadious Manyepo
Sports Reporter
CHEGUTU PIRATES have defended themselves amid a flurry of questions of their professionalism in the Castle Lager Premiership.
Zaire, as the Pirates are affectionately known, have often been flagged for crossing the line in the top-tier league.
They have since been summoned by the Premier Soccer League for allegedly causing the abandonment of their Castle Lager Premiership match-day eight fixture against Dynamos at Baobab on April 25.
With the match seemingly dragging to a goalless draw, Dynamos were awarded a controversial goal that would have wrapped up the points for them right in the last minute of added time.
While the goal was dubious, given that the full circumference of the ball appeared not to have crossed the goal line, at least using amateur footage available, Chegutu Pirates mocked the provisions of professionalism by causing the suspension of the match.
Now they risk forfeiting the points and losing that game on a 3-0 scoreline.
They then ended up using Nike shirts and Adidas shorts for the game against Yadah after the colours clashed. Chegutu Pirates chairman, Eddie Chivero, said the boob was as a result of Yadah’s unwillingness to compromise.
“I am not supporting rowdiness but our fans are actually some of the well behaved in the league because they haven’t been caught on the wrong side of regulations so far this season,” said Chivero.
“I have heard people talking about us being ill-disciplined but I don’t think we deserve that tag.
“Let me clarify what happened prior to our match against Yadah at Heart Stadium.
“We have our home and away colours and they have their own stripes as required by the PSL.
“So we had a kit that was different from their home colours but then they decided to wear their away kit and the colours ended up clashing.
“We were then forced to take up our home kit, which is black and white. Still they argued that Yadah’s kit on the day had black at the back and that would cause confusion.
“I think it was just a way of frustrating us as a team. After long deliberations, we then discovered that we had also carried some white tops (the Nike shirts) which we were using when we were still in the First Division.”
He added:
“However, we had no matching shorts but we also realised that there were black shorts (the Adidas shorts) which we also used in the First Division.
“That’s how we ended up putting those Adidas shorts and Nike shirts.
“We were even forced to replace our socks. We are a professional club with passionate supporters and nothing more.”