The Sunday Mail
Ishemunyoro Chingwere
DYNAMOS coach Lloyd “Samaita” Mutasa has demanded a response from his players and wants the team to start winning matches in honour of the eight fans who perished in a road accident last weekend. Mutasa’s team talk for the whole week has been marked by one message, and on Thursday afternoon the emotional DeMbare gaffer asked goalkeepers coach Gift “Umbro” Muzadzi to share it with this publication.
“Father, please tell these guys what I have been telling the players this week,” said Mutasa as he gave the DeMbare assistant coach the floor.
“Well the coach has been telling the boys after every training session that it is not easy for a person to leave their family and travel all the way to Gweru to support Dynamos when the team is not doing so well,” said an obliging Muzadzi.
“He says some of the deceased were parents and have now left their families without breadwinners all because they wanted to rally behind Dynamos.
“The coach has told the boys that every match we are going to play henceforth is a dedication to those who perished. He says it’s important that we win some silverware this season in honour of the late fans.”
Mutasa will be encouraged by the fact that even before he started hammering the message into the players’ heads, the squad had already vowed to honour their departed fans on the field of play.
Speaking after the 2-1 victory over Chapungu at Ascot, captain Augustine Mbara said the need to honour the departed had spurred the Glamour Boys forward.
“This is the most unfortunate thing that could have possibly happened to us,” Mbara said. “We were told about the accident just as we were about to leave the hotel and you could see the pain and agony on all the players’ faces. We then told each other that there was no way we were going to disappoint fans who lost their lives for the love of the team.
“More importantly we have impressed upon each other that the season now belongs to the supporters who lost their lives and we will make sure we pay tribute through winning our matches.” However, Dynamos are unlikely to have it easy against a Ngezi Platinum outfit that is seemingly reserving its best form for away matches.
Seven of the miners’ eight points have been picked up on the road and coach Clifton Kadurira, who will be overseeing his last match before stepping down for Tonderayi Ndiraya, will be hoping that his charges continue on that path.
