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Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
HIGHLANDERS have opted to pay head coach Erol Akbay’s salary, leaving the “understanding” members of the technical team yet to receive their January and February earnings.

Donald Ndebele, Highlanders’ treasurer, confirmed that the first team, Division One side and juniors’ technical staff are yet to receive their pay.

Also affected are the club’s administrative staff.

Highlanders are in a financial fix and drowning in a debt of over $800 000, which is likely to increase following the reduction of their sponsorship deal by BancABC.

Bosso’s primary sponsors reduced the sponsorship package by half to $200 000.

Highlanders plan to cover the outstanding salaries when their revenue streams improve, that is, when the season starts and they start collecting gate takings.

“It’s true that we haven’t paid the technical members from the senior team to juniors, as well as the administrative staff. Last year salaries took $340 000 from the total sponsorship and right now we’ve $185 000, which means the club has to look for the difference of $155 000. The reduction of the sponsorship package meant that we use the monthly advance to cater for players’ salaries, with the difference from that covering one member of the technical team,” said Ndebele.

“Because every year our revenue streams are dry in January and February when we are off season, we’re hopeful that the situation will improve once the season starts so that we pay members of the technical team,” he said.

Besides clearing the outstanding salaries when the season starts, Highlanders might find themselves in a deeper hole depending on how their senior team performs, since they normally use gate takings to pay winning bonuses.

Ndebele conceded that they need to come up with an “immediate” plan to raise funds, including reviving the “donate a $1 campaign” which raised less than $500 last year.

“Highlanders supporters can save the club by uniting for this worthy ‘donate a $1’ campaign. If Highlanders supporters, including sympathisers, who we believe are more than half a million, each donate $1, imagine how much will be raised. At this stage we really need people’s support as we wait for the season to start,” Ndebele said.

According to Ndebele, Highlanders have 6 000 registered members and last year 84 211 people paid to watch their 15 home games.

Ndebele said besides the $1 campaign, Bosso have approached the corporate world and are awaiting responses from three companies, one of which has asked for Highlanders’ audited statements before making a decision.

He hailed an initiative taken by Highlanders’ supporters in the diaspora, who are working on harnessing funds for the club with benefactors set to wire their contributions directly to Bosso.

“There are some members of the club who’ve approached us with a proposal that we feel is right in terms of harnessing resources from the diaspora community. What will happen is that supporters wishing to donate to the club will directly wire their contributions to Highlanders,” Ndebele said.

Meanwhile, Ndebele called on their supporters and football lovers to attend Sunday’s game against Power Dynamos.

“We’re having an international friendly against Power Dynamos on Sunday and we’re calling on Bosso supporters, the people of Bulawayo who love soccer to come in their numbers and support the boys. This is our first match in 2017 and people can come and see the 2017 squad,” said Ndebele.

– @ZililoR