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Dynamos will get even better: Mutasa

Sport
DYNAMOS coach Lloyd Mutasa says his players are beginning to adapt to his methods and expects the team to get even better.

DYNAMOS coach Lloyd Mutasa says his players are beginning to adapt to his methods and expects the team to get even better.

BY MUKUDZEI CHINGWERE

Dynamos coach Lloyd Mutasa
Dynamos coach Lloyd Mutasa

The Glamour Boys, who had a horrible start to the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League (PSL) season, appear to have hit top gear with impressive wins in the last few weeks.

After a slow start to their campaign, which almost cost Mutasa his job, the team has found their groove, winning their last four matches and were cruising to their fifth straight victory at 0-4 up against Chapungu on Sunday when the game was abandoned after a goal post fell.

The good run has seen them gliding up the log standings, and currently four points behind log leaders Black Rhinos, as they wait for the PSL’s determination on their abandoned match, stopped after 56 minutes.

It is likely that the PSL will order that the match resumes from the time it was abandoned, and if Dynamos can hold on to their lead, they will move to 26 points, just one behind table toppers Black Rhinos.

Mutasa believes the team’s form in the past few weeks shows that the players — vilified at the start of the season by their own supporters and even rival coaches — have bought into his ideas, and has backed them to continue to improve.

“The team is now playing very well and they will soon be getting to the level we want them to be. But we are not there yet,” he said.

Mutasa fired most of the senior players at the start of the season, including vice-captain Stephen Alimenda, Roderick Mutuma, Jacob Muzokomba and Sydney Linyama, while their star player from last season Godknows Murwira and Dominic Mukandi were prised away by Ngezi Platinum Stars.

The Dynamos coach replaced the group with league rookies and untested talents Quality Kangadze, Gift Saunyama, Tatenda Muringani, Christian Ntouba and Takunda Sadiki.

His decision initially looked imprudent as the new players struggled to find their feet and the team suffered early on in the season, but all that has changed in the last two months or so, as DeMbare appear to have found their mojo, with successive wins over Harare City, ZPC Kariba, Tsholotsho and Ngezi Platinum.

And suddenly, they are back in the picture for the title race.

Mutasa has called on the team’s supporters and the club management to continue backing the players, as he continues with his rebuilding exercise.

“Our supporters need to show us some love. All the Dynamos stakeholders need to support the youngsters so that they reach their full potential. The DeMbare supporters need to be patient and continue supporting the youngsters even when they are not doing well. Most of our players are very young, at the age of 19, 20, 21, so they do not need to be put under a lot of pressure. They need to be encouraged to reach their full potential,” he said.

“The Dynamos of today is different from that of yesteryear, where we had vibrant junior structures and the transition for the players from the junior system to the senior team was simple and easy.

“Now we are recruiting a number of players from different teams every season, so they take time to get into the DeMbare system. Every season we lose our best players to other teams and we recruit new ones, so these new players take time to get into our system.”

Dynamos’ next two fixtures are also looking winnable, with home matches against Bulawayo City and Bantu Rovers, before travelling to Chicken Inn.

But before they can think of that, they are waiting patiently to hear the PSL verdict on their Chapungu match, which could be released today.

PSL media officer Kudzai Bare yesterday said they were still to get the report from the match officials.

The match was abandoned in the 56th minute when Chapungu goalkeeper Talbert Shumba landed on the post as he tried to save a shot.

The home side tried in vain to fix the post, forcing the day’s referee Martin Chivandire to call off the match. Dynamos were leading the game courtesy of a brace by Emmanuel Mandiranga and goals by Denver Mukamba and Christian Ntouba.

It was the first time that Chapungu had conceded in their last seven games.