Mochudi Centre Chiefs could give Phenyo Mongala and Dirang Moloi an escape route from their ordeal at Cercle Sportif Don Bosco. The Kgatleng giants are interested in taking the players on loan given the complications that could arise if they pursue permanent moves for the duo.
The players were first linked with a return to Magosi in January after they had allowed them to train with the Chiefs squad in July last year. They were linked with 4 month loan deals but Chiefs denied the rumours. Recently, sources have informed this reporter that Mike Sithole’s side could make a loan offer for the players.
Reached for comment, Chiefs’ Public Relations Officer Clifford Mogomotsi said , “We want to see them playing football again, it could be at Chiefs or any other club but the bottom line is that we want to see them return to action. We have not made a final decision on whether or not to make a move for them. We want to help them as much as we can, if that means that we have to sign them then we will explore that option,” said Mogomotsi.
Both players are currently embroiled in a contractual dispute with their DRC based club. The duo wants to terminate their five year deals with the Katumbi owned club. The Footballers Union of Botswana (FUB) has assisted the players by forwarding the case to FIFPro Division Africa last month, the FUB’s DRC counterparts have scheduled a meeting with the league’s Sports Commission (equivalent to Botswana’s Players’ Status Committee) before the start of the 2014/2015 season.
FUB spokesperson Kgosana Masaseng informed Gazette Sport that the Union de Footballeurs du Congo along with the Linafoot League’s Sports Commission will determine the outcome of the case. He also revealed that the players could avoid buying themselves out of their contracts if they convince the board of the ill treatment they have been subjected to.
The fact that the DRC players union and their commission could order the termination of the players’ contracts, may be a major boost for the Botswana duo.
“If the board is convinced by the players’ grievances they could move to declare them free agents. We are still waiting for the DRC union to meet the Sports Commission. In April the DRC players union requested Don Bosco to respond to the players’ complaints. The next meeting will determine the conclusion of the case,” Masaseng told this publication.
Article 14 of FIFA’s Regulations on Status and Transfer of Players states that during such disputes, “the innocent party can terminate a contract without any consequences.” The players must prove that they have ‘just cause’ to terminate their contracts, if they do so they will avoid paying compensation to Don Bosco or facing four months playing bans.