SENIOR Highlanders players and the club’s former stars have hit out at the club’s leadership for dragging their feet in signing temperamental but talented former Dynamos hitman Rodrick Mutuma, with senior players threatening some unspecified action to voice their concern.

The players said the club leadership must rise above petty issues and put Highlanders ahead of personal differences.

The Highlanders executive is said to be divided over bringing the lanky striker to Bulawayo, despite the coach Erol Akbay openly saying he wants the former Dynamos forward to join his black and white army.

“We wonder what is driving them to take so long to bring Mutuma to Highlanders, he is a proven hitman who can bring smiles to the millions of our supporters. He knows his employment brief, to score goals and how that mission is achieved is secondary and so we want to tell the executive to quickly sign this guy,” said one senior player.

Another senior player said the strike force of Prince Dube and Nhlanhla Ndlovu, while a future force to reckon with, is still teething and needed someone to guide them arguing that a fit Ralph Matema could do the job but age was no longer on his side and forcing him to play 90 minutes will be too much.

“Look, as players we all know what Rodrick can do, where he is coming from is none of our business and in terms of his behavior, kukuBosso la bro ( this is Bosso brother). Those who don’t want  him must assure us that they will leave the office and put on football boots because this is clearly no longer football why they can’t sign Mutuma, it’s something else,” said the player.

A former Highlanders defender echoed the senior players’ call for the executive to sign Mutuma, adding that they must rise above petty club politics.

“Why would any sane minded person not sign him (Mutuma), especially now that the club has failed to bring in strikers like Gift Mbweti and Francesco Zekumbawire, it will be suicidal if they let this guy go,” said the former player.

Meanwhile, FC Platinum are said to be lurking on the horizon for Mutuma whose handlers said if no agreement is reached by midday today, they will be left with no option but to head to the Midlands.