THREE years have passed since Dynamos laid their hands on the Castle Lager Premier League title, but the club’s legend, Moses Chunga, has sounded an optimistic note after watching the team, comprising youngsters, dazzle Highlanders to lift the Zimbabwe National Army Charities Shield at the weekend.
BY HENRY MHARA
The “Kidznet” overpowered old rivals Bosso 2-1 at the National Sports Stadium in the final, having bundled out Caps United from the same competition by a 1-0 score line at the semi-final stage.
Chunga, a firm believer in young talent, was on the stands as the DeMbare juniors dazzled their two biggest rivals in a space of a week, in a performance that left him convinced that the good old times could be rolling back to the club.
“It was long overdue. You need continuity because over the years, I feel they have been stagnant. They (club) haven’t been giving the youngsters the opportunity. They got a good opportunity because of the strike,” Chunga said.
“For me, the sky is the limit for the youngsters. If given the opportunity, they can deliver. The good times are back. There is a new dawn.”
Dynamos coach Lloyd Mutasa was forced to field the youngsters in the big Harare Derby against Caps United, after seniors boycotted training in the days leading to the match in protest over unpaid salaries and allowances.
Even though they called off the strike and returned to training after the match, Mutasa chose to stick to the juniors against Highlanders, and, once again, they didn’t disappoint.
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“They should have a principal, which says that players are selected on merit. The seniors should work hard to get back into that team. They have to earn a place in that team,” added the man who introduced to local football the likes of Samson Choruwa, Norman Maroto, Eddie Mashiri, Leo Kurauzvione, Naison Muchekela and Nyasha Chazika, as part of the famed Kidznet project at Dynamos at the turn of the millennium.
The current youth brigade is led by the unassuming attacking midfielder Kudzanai Dhemere, who scored the clinchers in both matches.
While Chunga was impressed, he believes they have to improve in other areas for them to become a complete package.
“Just a word of advice, they should work on the speed because there were certain times during the game (against Highlanders), where they were caught on possession. They should improve on their speed of thought and execution. A player should think of what he needs to do with the ball even before receiving it,” he said.
“They will mature if given time and more opportunities. They will get there. I’m also impressed with what my brother Madinda Ndlovu is doing at Highlanders. He is fusing young players with the experienced, which is good for our football.”
Asked if they have what it takes to win the league, Chunga said: “Maybe. You can’t have challenges creeping in every time.
Everyone wants to win the league, (but) it depends on your planning.
“Everything should be done in time, in terms of camping and payments of players’ salaries and allowances. It will depend with their objective for the season. Their approach to the games when the season starts, will depend where they will finish.”
Dynamos have not won the league title since their swashbuckling squad of 2011, led by the maverick forward Denver Mukamba, which went on to win it four consecutive times.
The league season is expected to begin in two weeks’ time, with Dynamos hoping to improve from their second-place finish last year.
