The Sunday Mail
NEW Dynamos striker Ntouba Epoupa cannot utter a word of English but the Glamour Boys insist the lad is exactly what they need.
The 23-year old Cameroonian is the man that Lloyd Mutasa believes in the answer to his team’s goal scoring woes but life at the training ground has not been easy for both player and coach.
Dynamos are living true to the saying that football is a universal language.
Away from the communication challenges doubts are abound that Epoupa may just turn out to be another football journeyman.
Hailing from a country that ships even its half decent footballers to Europe skeptics are questioning why Epoupa settled for Zimbabwe if he is as good as his handlers and the Dynamos technical team claims.
DeMbare have a history of getting it wrong when foreigners are concerned.
Last year they sought to convince all and sundry that in Portuguese Paulo Jorge Silva they had bagged one of the best football brains from Europe.
Silva turned out to be a joke.
Asked if Epoupa’s signing is not yet another example of DeMbare’s desperation team manager Richard Chihoro on Friday insisted the former Cameroon youth international is exactly what DeMbare needs.
“We have been very quick to sign him after watching him train, meaning we are happy with what he brings. His decision not to pursue a career in Europe is none of our business,” said Chihoro.
“What I can only say is we were on the market for a striker to provide us with goals and this guy came through. We are very happy with what we have seen in him and are hopeful he will deliver the goals when the season starts.
“He is not a reject and surely you can’t expect us to lose sleep on why he is joining us at a time we are supposed to be celebrating his arrival,” he said.
Ntouba was recommended to Dynamos by Gilbert Sengwe, who is now working as the player’s manager.
The powerfully built attacker who has been capped twice by the Cameroon Under-23 side has previously played for Astres De Douala and FC Renaissance in his native’s top flight league.
According to his CV presented to Dynamos Ntouba top scored in his native’s FA cup with eight goals in 10 matches in 2015.
In 2016 he was voted the league’s player of the month for the months of April and May.
