BY TAWANDA TAFIRENYIKA
DYNAMOS coach Tonderai Ndiraya believes their upcoming five home games will be a big test of the team’s capacity to play before their demanding fans.
Before Sunday’s last gasp win over Chapungu, the Glamour Boys had struggled to impose themselves when playing at home, having last won at Rufaro Stadium two months ago when they edged ZPC Kariba 1-0.
The Dynamos coach has attributed the struggles to the players’ inability to withstand the pressure of playing before their fans. Ndiraya noted that the current crop of players apply themselves better at training than they do when they play, especially at home.
“I have always spoken about the experience of playing before the demanding Dynamos fans. If you look at the next five games, they will be played in Harare, but do these players have the character to perform at home whether we are playing at Rufaro or at the National Sports Stadium? If you watch some of these boys at training, they are good and the same players are totally different when you watch them play the actual match. For most of them, it’s the first time to play for Dynamos and they are overawed by the pressure of playing for Dynamos,” Ndiraya said.
The Dynamos coach said he needed to beef up the squad with some experienced players to give support to team captain Edward Sadomba, who is the most experienced member of the squad, having agreed to come out of retirement to help the team.
“Sadomba has been battling alone. If he can do that when the team is playing badly, what more can you ask for? That is why we want to bring support for him in this transfer window.”
Ndiraya said they intended to beef up with at least five players among them former players, Simba Nhivi and Archford Gutu, whom he said are now certain to play for the Harare giants in the second half of the season.
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Gutu has been training with the Glamour Boys since last week and did not feature at the weekend as he is still waiting his international clearance, while Nhivi is expected to start training with the club this week. The Harare giants have tricky fixtures against Harare teams as they face off with Black Rhinos this weekend before they meet Harare City.
Dynamos will then host Triangle at Rufaro before travelling to Hwange. The Glamour Boys will be back in Harare against Mushowani Stars and bogey side Chicken Inn.
Dynamos occupy 10th position on the league table with 17 points, 10 behind the log leaders FC Platinum and will be looking to maximise on home advantage in the upcoming five matches. Should they win those matches at home, it will bring them back into contention for honours.
