Biggie Zuze’s ascendancy to the Dynamos top coaching post at the expense of his former boss Lloyd Mutasa polarised opinion.
BY HENRY MHARA
And as DeMbare face their biggest test under his stewardship, Zuze is a man under pressure to appease those who feel he might have influenced the decision to get rid of Mutasa.
He has skirted questions on the circumstances leading to his take over from the man who recruited him after he had been dumped by Triangle.
Zuze has been accused of instigating the sack and he now has to show reason why he believes he is the right man to guide the Harare giants.
Zuze won himself a few more admirers last week following his team’s 1-0 victory over Bulawayo City in his first match in charge.
Tomorrow at Rufaro Stadium, he faces his biggest examination when FC Platinum arrive in a match where the champions’ coach, Norman Mapeza is also desperate to win, for different reasons.
A win for the former Monomotapa coach could help settle some more dust. A defeat, however, and hard questions will start to be asked.
- Chamisa under fire over US$120K donation
- Mavhunga puts DeMbare into Chibuku quarterfinals
- Pension funds bet on Cabora Bassa oilfields
- Councils defy govt fire tender directive
Keep Reading
At the team’s training session on Thursday, Zuze appealed to his players to play for him.
“The boys are working hard and we hope for the best. I wish they can do what they did in the last match,” Zuze said.
FC Platinum have given DeMbare problems in recent times, and this fixture is the last thing Zuze could have wished for at this moment of his tenure.
In the last five league meetings between the two teams, FC Platinum have emerged victorious on all occasions.
Zuze, though, is still optimistic.
“FC Platinum are a very good team, very organised, so for Dynamos, we know we have to manage the game. Our last game was a very good build-up to this match. This is a new season, with a new team so we are ready for them. The attitude and approach has changed. Everyone is giving his best, and it’s so difficult especially coming from a period where all those things that happened in the technical team. The boys are doing their best, and even the goal we scored, it was a brilliant team goal and they are also scoring goals here so we will shift what we are doing here to the match.”
The positives in the Harare giants’ camp are the return to full fitness of James Marufu and Raphael Manuvire.
Skipper Ocean Mushure, who has not been training in protest over unpaid signing on fees, is also back, giving Zuze options.
“Manuvire is back. Jimmy (Marufu) also started training this week, but we are going to consider him for this match. Ocean has also joined training and we are working with him especially on the endurance part, but I think he is doing well. He gives us options in the attacking and when defending. I hope for the best, and I anticipate a very good game against FC Platinum.”
Mapeza is also a man under pressure, with Ngezi Platinum giving him sleepless nights.
His comments this week that FC Platinum and the log leaders’ matches should be played on the same day, show that Ngezi Platinum’s near perfect run has put pressure on everyone.
Mapeza’s immediate task though, is to beat Dynamos. “Their result last week was positive and I think they have started to win games, now we are expecting a good match.
They have a new coach and when a new coach comes in, the players are challenged to work hard for him. We saw it last week, they got a very good result and definitely multitudes of supporters will be behind them.”
FC Platinum drew against Triangle in their last match, which came on a back of three wins.
