Despite a brilliant start to the be MOBILE Premier League season, all is not well at Nico United.

The coach, Paul Gundani, and a couple of players are threatening to quit amid reports that Nico chairman, Eitlhomilwe w is abusing his powers. In a no-holds barred interview, Gundani said this week that he is not happy with the way Raditshego is running the team. He said the situation is affecting the players and some have threatened to quit.

Gundani, who joined the club at the start of the season said players, particularly foreigners, Effat Sekwata and Samuel Phiri want to leave Majombolo because of mistreatment by the chairman. The coach said he had to convince the duo to stay after they complained of unfair treatment. "The chairman is treating Tendai Ndoro differently from the rest and others feel aggrieved about this preferential treatment. He is the chairman's blue-eyed boy. Other players feel unrecognised but it has to be realised that Ndoro cannot function without his teammates," Gundani said. Ndoro was signed from Zimbabwe this season and is Nico's top striker with six goals. Gundani has warned that the youngster's career could be in jeopardy as other players now dislike him. He said there are reports that the Nico officials gave Ndoro money after games against TAFIC and Gaborone United. This has been viewed as preferential treatment by other players.

Gundani said when he asked about the said money, he was informed that it was part of Ndoro's signing fee. The coach has warned that if Raditshego and his committee do not change their leadership style, he will quit before the end of his two-year contract. He said he is faced with many challenges, which is affecting the players' morale. He said this has led to a decline in the team's fortunes in the last three games, which has seen Nico fall to TAFIC before consecutive 1-1 draws to GU and Notwane. "I came here for a purpose and not to fold my arms and let people destroy the team," Gundani said.

Team manager, Gajewe Blue Sethore said Gundani approached him recently and hinted at leaving the team if management did not put its house in order. He described Gundani as a principled coach who wants things done professionally.

"The coach does not want us to interfere in his job and I respect him for being professional. Things are not being done well at the executive committee. The chairman is not doing things well and he wants his presence to be felt by everyone. I am happy about our performance and we are better than all the years. People should stop complaining and doing things that will take us to the bottom. We are tired of fighting relegation every season," he said.

Sethore said foreign players at the club are not happy and they are threatening to leave.He said the management has to talk to players and keep them focused. He said after the win against Jwaneng Comets, Raditshego shouted at one player accusing him of letting the team down.

"We have a problem with our strike force because when he signed Ndoro, he told us that he is a striker but now he is no longer scoring goals and he is now playing from the flanks," he said. Sethore explained that the money that Ndoro was given was signing fee.

Raditshego has defended himself and said his decisions are above board. The former Nico spokesman said the alleged special treatment of Ndoro is a non-issue because when he was hired, there were some conditions attached to the contract. He explained that when the player arrived together with his twin brother, Pardon, they were not paid their signing fee because there was no money. He said the executive committee agreed to pay the two after every game until the debt is cleared.

He said it seems other players have a problem with the arrangement and they jumped to the wrong conclusion that the twins are given preferential treatment. "Every player we signed has been given such monies and I do not understand what the fuss is about.When players ask for salary advance, we assist where possible," he said.

Raditshego denied shouting at any player and claimed that the allegations are meant to taint his good name. He said he has been a football administrator for 15 years and he has never shouted at a player. Raditshego said there is a player-coach tension between Ndoro and Gundani. He said he has tried to address the matter when Gundani informed him that he was not impressed by Ndoro's performance. He said Sakwata and Phiri are absconding from practice.

"When we took over, there were controversial issues that surrounded the club's running.A certain Gift Moyo wanted to be the chairperson but Nico supporters did not want him.

Our take- over was not smooth and we think there are some people who are working behind the scenes to destroy the club," he said. Raditshego stated that the management addressed players after Wednesday's training session to clear the dispute over Ndoro and any other matter. He said nobody came forward with complaints and he is not aware that Gundani has threatened to leave Nico.