THE Dynamos hierarchy has downplayed the problems at the Glamour Boys that came to light in a leaked audio recording that went viral on Tuesday, where a group of players were heard attacking the assistant coach, Murape Murape, and team manager, Richard Chihoro.
BY TAWANDA TAFIRENYIKA
The damaging conversation features three senior players (names withheld), as they were driving home after their team had surrendered a three-goal lead to draw against Caps United at the National Sports Stadium on Sunday.
In the leaked audio, the players accused Murape and Chihoro of incompetency and holding grudges, saying this was the reason for the team’s struggles
However, the club yesterday threw a protective arm around Murape and Chihoro.
Dynamos board secretary, Chris Kasiyazi, also known as Mtho Nkosi, said the weekend draw had badly affected them and the players were bound to vent their frustrations.
Nkosi visited the team at training yesterday to gauge the players’ mood in the aftermath of the leaked audio.
“I went to training to observe from a distance to see who was there and who was putting a halfhearted effort, but I was surprised everyone was involved. I asked the coaches after the training session whether they had asked the players about the leaked audio, but said they hadn’t,” he said.
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“In any social set-up, people have friends and after a match they go home and talk. Just like at workplaces, when something happens, employees meet in corridors and in the canteen for a talk. And in this particular case, this is what happened, the players were going home with someone they are familiar with and then they began to talk. Of course, they are bound to burst. Naturally, everyone was affected by the result. We were leading by three goals to nil and everyone thought we had the three points in the bag, but to say there are problems at Dynamos based on that audio, is a bit unfair.”
Nkosi said the player, who was heard in the audio contemplating to quit the club, could have spoken in the heat of the moment.
“At workplaces, when employees don’t get their salaries for two days, they talk. Some would say we are leaving, but do they really mean it? It’s natural, even husbands and wives say these things, but they don’t mean it,” he said.
Nkosi, however, in the same breath, condemned the players for criticising Murape, saying they, like any other employees, need to respect their superiors.
The Dynamos secretary said they were not happy with finishing the season empty-handed and would meet at the end of the season for some introspection, as they prepare for the new season. In the audio, the players praised Lloyd Mutasa, saying he was a good coach, who lacked a proper assistant.
One of the players alleged that Murape disliked him and that was the reason he was struggling to make it into the first 11.
They also complained about the dropping of striker, Rodreck Mutuma, who has not seen much game time this season. Murape has been critical of the current crop of players.
