KELVIN Kaindu, a man whose coaching philosophy is seemingly as rooted in spiritual conviction as it is in tactical nous, has issued a rousing challenge to his Dynamos squad: win your own matches and shun reliance on the fortunes or misfortunes of relegation rivals.
The qualified pastor, speaking after the Glamour Boys’ critical 1-0 victory over Bikita Minerals at Rufaro Stadium on Sunday, made it clear that salvation must be earned on the pitch, not calculated in the stands.
Kaindu’s impact since arriving at the struggling Harare giants has been nothing short of miraculous. When he took the reins, Dynamos were second from bottom, languishing eight points behind the team occupying the 16th safe spot in the 18-team contest.
However, a superb nine-match unbeaten run, featuring six wins and three draws, has dramatically altered the team's trajectory.
The narrow victory over Bikita Minerals, secured on Sunday, lifted DeMbare to a more comfortable 13th place on 37 points, with just two matches remaining.
Dynamos had started the day in the treacherous 17th spot, highlighting the gravity of its hard-fought win.
Just one more victory in the team's final two fixtures should be enough to guarantee its survival and avoid the drop.
Reflecting on the dramatic turnaround, Kaindu was humble, giving credit to the previous coaches while highlighting the changes he has implemented.
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“Sometimes, even when we are coaching, maybe the other advantage that I have is I also rely on my faith and also belief where you think there's no hope,” Kaindu admitted.
“I give credit to the other [past] coaches. They probably came at a very difficult time, and the results were not forthcoming. But there isn't much that we have changed. I think we have maintained almost the same team that was playing.”
The key difference, according to the gaffer, has been a change in mindset and communication.
“Maybe the only thing that has changed is the language, and also just to give confidence to the players that Dynamos is a big brand. We shouldn't be fighting relegation. We have even told ourselves that we're not going to stop that when we survive. I think
our objective as Dynamos is to win.”
Kaindu stressed the importance of self-reliance as the league race headed into a thrilling climax, with most teams’ fates hanging in the balance until the very last whistle.
“We said we are not going to use calculators to avoid relegation. We want to win our games, and this is what we have done. And hopefully that we maintain our unbeaten record,” he said.
He conceded that the pressure was immense going into the weekend’s match, especially given the team's precarious starting position, but was proud of the fighting spirit, even if the performance wasn't stellar. “What is important is that we managed to get maximum points.”
Kaindu concluded with a stern reminder of the task ahead: “Like I said, we don't want to depend on phone calls to see how the other teams have played. We want to remain consistent. If we can remain unbeaten, I think it will
be good for us to build our the confidence.”
Dynamos face fellow relegation strugglers Yadah FC this Saturday at Ngoni Stadium, where they will be looking to seal their place in the top flight for next season.
Dynamos remaining fixtures
Yadah v Dynamos (Week 33)
Dynamos v FC Platinum (Week 34)
