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NewsDay

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Mumba wants the job

Sport
Nomadic Zambian coach Keegan Mumba could emerge as a favourite to land the hot seat at Harare giants Dynamos after protracted contract negotiations between coach Calisto Pasuwa and the club’s executive broke down on Thursday. Dynamos have made it clear that they will not renew Pasuwa’s contract when it expires next Saturday insisting the vacant […]

Nomadic Zambian coach Keegan Mumba could emerge as a favourite to land the hot seat at Harare giants Dynamos after protracted contract negotiations between coach Calisto Pasuwa and the club’s executive broke down on Thursday.

Dynamos have made it clear that they will not renew Pasuwa’s contract when it expires next Saturday insisting the vacant post would be advertised in the Press.

The Dynamos chairman Kenny Mubaiwa yesterday told NewsDay Sport yesterday they had resolved not to headhunt for a new coach so that they widen their options.

“The problem we face is that there are very few coaches in Zimbabwe with the capacity of coaching Dynamos.

We realised that if we took the option of headhunting we would be limiting ourselves to a few individuals, some of them who have been in the system before, but by advertising the post we realised that we would be able to widen our options,” said Mubaiwa.

“A lot of names have been mentioned since we started negotiations with Pasuwa with others singling out Keegan Mumba.

But our position is clear, if Keegan Mumba wants to coach DeMbare, he is free to apply for the post and so is Pasuwa if he wishes,” he added.

Mumba whose name came into the picture while negotiations between Pasuwa and the executive were still ongoing, is currently the coach of Zambian club, Konkola Blades.

The nomadic gaffer, who is believed to have the backing of some officials in the DeMbare executive recently led Zambia’s Under-20 side to glory at the Cosafa Metropolitan Under-20 Youth tournament in Botswana.

In an interview with NewsDay Sport yesterday Mumba insisted he was yet to speak with anyone from DeMbare.

He added that he would only consider applying for the vacant seat at DeMbare after consulting with the Football Association of Zambia president Kalusha Bwalya.

He said: “I’m not sure at this moment if I will apply for the post, but even if I decide to do so I would have to seek permission from the Football Association of Zambia president Kalusha Bwalya.

“It would be difficult for me to move without his blessings, as I have made a commitment to assisting the association with the junior teams.”

Mumba, who coached Dynamos in 2003, left the club in 2004, with a year still to run on his contract and went on to sign for Black Rhinos, where he never lasted, crossing the Limpopo to join South African division One side Zulu Royals.

He left the South Africans after just three months, claiming he had not been paid for the entire duration he was at the ambitious side, before joining Green Buffaloes in Zambia.

Dynamos are looking to fill in the vacant post left by Pasuwa ahead of the start of the Caf Champions League preparations soon after the festive season.

Contract negotiations between the club and Pasuwa broke down on Thursday as the gaffer, who had been offered a three, year, deal insisted on a deal where the club would be entitled to pay him even in the event where he was fired before his contract lapsed.

Reports say Pasuwa last week submitted his contract where he was demanding a monthly salary of $4 000 and other perks which include a car for use, school fees for his children and rentals. Dynamos were offering $3 000.

However, a source close to the negotiations revealed the salary was no longer an issue as the two parties had settled for a $3 500 monthly salary for the coach.

Pasuwa took over at the club at the beginning of August when Lloyd Mutasa was sacked after a string of poor results.

He made an immediate impact as he went on to rejuvenate Dynamos’ fading championship campaign after securing nine wins, one draw and a single defeat in the teams’ last 11 matches which saw the Glamour Boys piping FC Platinum to the coveted championship crown on goal difference.

It was Dynamos’ first league championship since 2007 and in the last three seasons which had been dominated by the so-called small teams, Monomotapa, Gunners and Motor Action, while the traditional big teams struggled.

Pasuwa also led Dynamos to the inaugural Mbada Diamonds Cup title with a 1-0 victory over Motor Action at the National Sports Stadium.