DYNAMOS coach Kalisto Pasuwa has stamped his authority on his underperforming players, telling them to shape up or ship out as pressure mounts on the beleaguered coach.
Report by Henry Mhara
Pasuwa’s rebuke comes as Dynamos face league new boys Triangle at Rufaro Stadium in a match the coach knows he cannot afford to lose tomorrow.
The Harare giants have started the season slowly, drawing their first three matches and alarm bells are already ringing loud in their camp.
In a no-holds-barred meeting with the players during the team’s training session at Zimphos training ground yesterday, a visibly irate Pasuwa openly criticised his players, taking them on one by one.
First to taste the wrath of the gaffer were new signings Washington Pakamisa and Farai Mupasiri whom he told in their faces that they had failed to convert their training form to match days.
“Washy and Farai you are impressive here at training and cause all sorts of problems for the defenders, but every time I give you the blue shirt, you seem very reluctant. That behaviour should stop,” fumed the title-winning coach.
The fire then shifted to Cliff Sekete and Stephen Alimenda, whom he warned against being cry-babies.
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He assigned hard-tackling midfielder Devon Chafa to go hard on the two and ordered the team doctor not to rush to attend to them when they are tackled.
True to his word, Pasuwa blocked the team doctor from attending to Mupasiri who had been floored by Chafa, telling the former rugby player in no uncertain terms to “get up”.
“Stephen and Cliff you are always complaining every time you get into contact with another player. That is the same attitude you carry into matches. Devon, I want you to go hard on them. I don’t want cry babies here. From today onwards, the doctor will not attend to small knocks. I need players with a strong mentality here; those who are ready to play for Dynamos,” fumed the coach.
He also rapped the new signings, telling them among other things to do away with the “small team mentality” and accept the responsibility associated with donning the Dynamos kit.
“Some of the players here still have the small team mentality. You are now playing for Dynamos and we expect you to show it. Things are done differently here, you have to fight hard. Some think things will work out by themselves.
“That is not true, we are the ones who have to put ourselves in this position and no one will come to rescue us. This is our responsibility.”
Speaking to the media after the training session, Pasuwa said he is worried with his team’s lack of firepower upfront.
“The players, especially Boban (Ziruntusa) are getting into good scoring positions, but the technique is lacking. That is my main worry.”
There is no good news for Pasuwa in the striking department as Francesco Zekumbawira has not recovered from injury and has been ruled out of tomorrow’s match, and so is left-back Ocean Mushure who picked a knock at Shabanie on Wednesday.
Patson Jaure and Tawanda Muparati sat out training yesterday and will have to pass a late fitness today.
Murape Murape trained before pulling out with a heavy limp, and just like Muparati and Jaure, the veteran midfielder will also be assessed today.
Stephen Alimenda, who missed Wednesday’s match, was involved in the whole training session and looked fit.
Just like Dynamos, Triangle arrive in Harare on the back of an uninspiring result after they lost 2-1 to Highlanders last week.
Gishon Ntini has vowed his team will not lose to Dynamos in the league.
Ntini will arrive in Harare without two of his regular players Tawanda Mareya and Muchineripi Muneri due to injuries.
“Dynamos is one team I hate to lose to. I will make sure they will not beat us over the two fixtures in the league. We will do our best to make sure that we win.
“The two players have been ruled out, but I have other good players who can fit in. All my players are ready to play and may the best team of the day win,” said Ntini.
