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Wazito players quit whatsapp group amid financial crisis


Talks between senior Wazito players and club owner Ricardo Badoer on how to solve a financial crisis that has choked the club have broken down, Nairobi News can confirm.

This has led to about half a dozen of these players quitting a Whatsapp group specifically put in place to mediate through the crisis.

Wazito players have gone for three months without pay, Nairobi News has established, and the situation is threatening to spiral out of control with the usually bullish Badoer electing to plead for patience among his staff as he sources for the funds.

“One of my business partners handling part of my finances has been in hospital under respirator for 12 days,” pleaded Badoer in one of the messages to the players.

“I will spare you all the challenges but I will make sure I pay the salaries and always improve the club.”

“So there is a possibility we will not get paid this week? U said  (last time) that Eid had slowed things down and we will be paid soon after” one player posed.

Another player added: “In reality, the 2k (Sh2000) we are getting paid weekly is not even enough for three days alone let alone cater for transport and food. We have reached a place where we promised our landlords based on what you promised.”

And as the discussion continued without a possible solution at hand, about six big-name players immediately left the group, perhaps unconvinced by what the club owner was saying. They include two dependable attacking midfielders, a winger, and a goalkeeper.

Once primed as one of, if not the most financially stable football clubs, Wazito has in the past few months generated into a period of uncertainty with morale levels at an all-time low. The issue is said to also have affected performances for Francis Kimanzi’s team.