The ManicaPost
Ray Bande
Senior Reporter
PROBABLY the best midfielder to emerge from Mutare for his generation, Last ‘Lala’ Jesi finds himself frozen out of action for almost a year after the acrimonious end to his stay at Al Hilal in Sudan.
Things have turned for the worst for the talented player.
Once the main man, Jesi was a big part of local football discourse as he made a lasting impression in the few matches he featured for the Sudanese giants early this year.
There are a lot of things about Jesi, mainly social and relating to a very disadvantaged background that lacked basics such as education that made his career a tale of ups and downs.
Be that as it may, one thing you cannot take away from the exceptionally talented player is his breathtaking ball control, accuracy in passing, vision, let alone dexterity – larger than life attributes that always reminds old football folks about the legendary Ronald ‘Gidiza’ Sibanda.
Soon after leaving the Sudanese giants, Jesi, a Mutare football icon in his own right, tried his luck, but failed in Tanzania and the dreadlocked player later came back home and settled at Ngezi Platinum FC where he has not featured for the platinum miners since the resumption of football action after the lengthy Covid-19 lockdown layoff.
Simply put, Jesi last played competitive football when he was still turning out for Al Hilal.
No wonder he has suddenly been forgotten.
Why is Last Jesi inactive?
For some reason best known to the media shy player as well as the Ngezi Platinum FC leadership, Jesi remains inactive.
The reasons behind the player’s inactivity are shrouded in secrecy as his current paymasters somehow found a way to unconvincingly argue that he joined late for registration.
Ngezi Platinum coach, Rodwell Dhlakama said: “We will register him in January when we expect the transfer window to be opened. We could not add him to our list in time because we struck the deal way after registration had been concluded. We expect to start using him in our competitive matches thereafter.”
But Jesi did not need to wait for a transfer window given that by the time the player was released by Al Hilal he was a free agent.
Football transfer laws are crystal clear that free agents can walk into any dressing room and start playing if selected by their coaches.
ZIFA Eastern Region chairman, Davison Muchena concurred, saying: “The laws of the game are very clear. A free agent does not need to wait for the window period to open as long as those who employ him need his services. He can start playing the day both parties agree terms.”
There is a school of thought which postulates that Jesi does not have the reverse clearance from Al Hilal, an argument on surface that seems more cogent and acceptable.
When he had differences with Al Hilal, the matter was taken to the Court of Arbitration for Sports and up to now no verdict has been passed.
Post Sport has it on good authority that Jesi demanded to be paid his sign-on fee as well as monthly salaries for the year contracted, something that All Hilal disputed given a clause understood to be in his contract which states that the player could only receive his sign-on fee and three months’ salary upon termination of contract.
Whether he got the right advice or not, the matter now requires the Court of Arbitration’s verdict.
But Zifa spokesperson, Xolisani Gwesela poured cold water on this line of thought.
“Last Jesi got his clearance. He is now registered with Ngezi Platinum,” said Gwesela.
Who is fooling who? Such is the poisonous secrecy and treacherous way our football matters have always been handled in this country.
The costs of lost game time
No doubt his inactivity has cost him a lot and had a huge negative impact to the brand he had created in recent years.
It is sensible for his fans to purport that Jesi could have highly likely been part of the Africa Cup of Nations bound Zimbabwe squad if he had been active on the field.
Apart from the attractive monetary incentives that are coming with players who will represent the country in Cameroon, playing in the continental football showpiece would have helped market the Sakubva-born player to better paying teams outside the country.
Jesi will not be getting this exposure as well as the exposure that he would also get from taking part in local football competitions.
Was Ngezi move the wisest?
It remains a debatable subject whether moving to Ngezi Platinum was the wisest decision for Jesi given other options that were available, including an offer to come back home and relaunch his career at Manica Diamonds FC.
Post Sport has in its hands copies of contracts that the player was offered at CAPS United, Manica Diamonds as well as the one he eventually accepted and signed at Ngezi Platinum FC.
While CAPS United or Dynamos would have given him the much needed attention given their big support base, Manica Diamonds had offered more monetary incentives to Jesi.
The contract that had been tabled by Manica Diamonds, reads: “The club grants the player a once-off contract fee (“the sign-on fee”) in the amount of (US$)15 000 to be paid on 31/01/2020 and is subject to all Statutory deductions and any other laws of Zimbabwe applicable and paid in US$ (50 percent) and local currency (50 percent) at the prevailing Auction rate. BASIC SALARY: The player’s basic salary per month amounts to (US$)1 000 to be paid on the 30th of every month (latest) and shall be subject to all Statutory deductions and any other laws of Zimbabwe applicable and paid in US$ (50 percent) local currency (50 percent) at the prevailing Auction rate.
“HOUSING ALLOWANCE: US$50 per month. WINNING BONUS: (US$100) per match won. DRAW BONUS: (US$50) per match drawn. REFRESHMENT ALLOWANCE: The player shall be paid US$10.”
The one accepted and signed by Jesi, in the company of a bogus Mutare football player agent (name withheld), from Ngezi Platinum, reads: “SIGNING ON FEE: ZWL equivalent to US$7 500 at interbank on the day of signing of this contract i.e. $637 500 (Six hundred and thirty-seven thousand, five hundred dollars only per season) for the duration of contract (two years) and shall be paid as a once off instalment per season.
“BASIC MONTHLY SALARY: ZWL equivalent to US$950 at interbank per month (on the day of signing of this contract) i.e. $80 750 to be paid before the 30th day of every month.
HOUSING ALLOWANCE: $400 per month if not in company accommodation.
“TRANSPORT: Where physical transport is not provided, the club will pay the player an advised amount of transport allowance which is ZWL equivalent to US$300
WINNING BONUS: ZWL equivalent to US$400 per match subject to the following conditions:
“1. For those players selected by the coach to be on the team sheet for that match (First 11 and the substitutes alike) award 100 percent of the winning bonus per match.
DRAW BONUS: A percentage of the winning bonus shall be payable as draw bonus as follows:
• For all players selected by the coach to be on the team sheet for that match (First 11 and the substitutes alike) a draw bonus of 20 percent of the winning bonus shall be payable for away matches only.
NSSA CONTRIBUTION: The player shall also be required to contribute towards the National Social Security Scheme at the prescribed rate of three percent of the player’s basic salary, up to a maximum of US$24.50 per month, subject to changes of the law.
i) All payments will be done through bank transfers subject to taxation.
ii) In the event of the player terminating his services prior to the expiry of the contract period for any reason other than breach of the contract by the club or pursuant to a force majeure event, he shall be required to reimburse the club with the remaining portion of the signing on fee proportionate to the remaining period.”
