Tag: Nigel Katawa

Dembare Off To Weekend Retreat

We have gathered that Dynamos FC players have left Harare for a weekend retreat in Norton/Darwendale. The Dembare bus departed soon after today’s training session.

An official who spoke to True Blue says the retreat, which will last until Sunday, is meant to create a bond among the players seeing as many of them are still new to the institution.

Dembare have been very busy on the local transfer market and have so far acquired a total of 11 players.

Notable absentees from the travelling party were goalkeeper Simba Chinani and striker Nigel Katawa who flew out to Russia last night for trials with an unnamed club.

Chief striker Evans Katema is in Zambia negotiating for a possible transfer. Defender Jimmy Tigere has quit football to stay with his family abroad.

The quartet of Godfrey Mukambi, Stephen Chimusoro, Edgar Mhungu and Philip Kaseke were released by the club after travelling to South Africa for a social match without the club approval.

Dembare executive imposing players on Ndiraya?

DYNAMOS could be headed for yet another disastrous season following reports the executive is imposing players on the technical team led by Tonderai Ndiraya.

The Glamour Boys had a near catastrophic term last year after the team chefs emotionally released players en masse without consulting then head coach Lloyd Chigowe.

Chigowe, who had been roped in to save the club from relegation late in the 2018 season, was left without any option but to resort to inexperienced novices including Tino Muringai, Jarrison Selemani, Emmanuel Jai, Tawanda Chisi and Nigel Katawa, who was coming straight from high school.

The move almost backfired terribly for DeMbare as they struggled for form in the early stages of the marathon as the Premiership proved too heavy a task for the greenhorns.

Naturally, Chigowe was made the sacrificial lamb and he was replaced by Ndiraya.

Ndiraya only managed to stabilise the shaky squad after bringing in some experienced players in the mid-season transfer window with the addition of Archford Gutu, Simba Nhivi, Godknows Murwira and Evans Katema.

Nevertheless, Dynamos finished a distant ninth in the league and Ndiraya had reiterated at the end of the season that he would be looking to beef up the squad ahead of the 2020 season.
The former Ngezi Platinum Stars gaffer is understood to have submitted his wish-list to the executive way back in October last year.

But the DeMbare executive has reportedly gone against the mentor’s wishes, instead signing players who Ndiraya never recommended.
The central defensive position was the team’s Achilles heel last term where Chisi, Munyaradzi Mawadza, Jimmy Tigere and Godfrey Mukambi were rotated and the Glamour Boys have since enlisted the services of former player Partson Jaure from Manica Diamonds.
Though Ndiraya is a big fan of Jaure, having previously worked with the Warriors defender at Dynamos and Ngezi Platinum, it is not clear whether he gave the player’s signing the thumbs-up.
While Ndiraya’s affinity for young blood is well documented, what he said at the end of the season pertaining the way he wants his troops to line up for the 2020 season seems to be at odds with opening the doors to more young players.

But the executive has since brought in Tanaka Chidhobha from Prince Edward Academy and another youngster Nkosi Mhlanga from Yadah.

Team manager Richard Chihoro yesterday said signing of players was done with the technical team’s blessings and there was nothing amiss inasfar as the signings done so far were concerned. Dynamos spokesperson Tinashe Farawo scoffed at suggestions the executive was acting against the coach’s will.

Ndiraya last week told the media that he was not aware of the signings being done by the team.

“We know how to act in a professional manner. Dynamos is not a rag-tag team but an institution with millions of people behind that badge. We know the ethos and essence of corporate governance and we can’t do business in such an uncivilised way. The coach gave us his wish-list long back, maybe three or four months ago and we are simply chasing after those players,” said Farawo.

“We will never try to embarrass ourselves and go against the coach’s will. He recommended certain players and they are the ones whom we are following up and taking on board. So suggestions that we are signing players whom he did not recommend are off the mark.”
Farawo also dismissed suggestions the team was going to off-load eight players including Katawa, Muringai and Mukambi, saying the coach is yet to submit the names of those he wanted released.