Break or No Break?

The Harare businessman said DeMbare needed to take a look into the mirror, after three poor seasons in the Champions League, and a break from participation in the tournament, for a year or so, will give them enough time to plan.

The Glamour Boys were knocked out in the first round in 2011 by MC Alger, after having taken a 4-1 first leg win, fell in the second round last year, after a 1-7 humiliation at the hands of Esperance and were beaten in the first round this year after a 1-3 aggregate loss to CA Bizertin.

“It is the third time we have failed to reach the mini league phase and bowing out at the first round, so this time around if we win the league title, we will not participate but would rather wait and go when we are ripe with a strong squad, maybe in 2015, if we would have managed to win the league again and a ticket to play in Africa,” said Mubaiwa.
The chairman said they first have to work on curbing the mass exodus of their best players to better paying leagues by remunerating them well and keep a winning team for more than a season.

At the start of the year, Dynamos lost Denver Mukamba, Simba Sithole and Roderick Mutuma to the Absa Premiership, leaving them severely weakened.
“We want to and we have to raise funds so that our players do not get taken by South African clubs because it’s all about money.
“If we manage to do that, it means we would be able to keep a team together for a longer time than the present situation where at the end of each season we are losing our best players,” said Mubaiwa.

Premier Soccer League chief executive, Kenny Ndebele, said the lack of resources by local clubs participating in the Caf competitions will continue to hamper their performance and supports DeMbare’s idea to take a break from the continental stage.

Zifa board member competitions, Benedict “Grinder” Moyo, said while there was need for players to be constantly exposed at the highest level by playing regularly, there were issues to do with funding that were affecting the team’s performances.

Clubs participating in the Champions League only start to generate money when they reach the mini league phase and for the past three years, Dynamos have fallen before the group stages.

DeMbare are losing players to South African teams every season and are being forced to go and participate with a makeshift team every year, a development which has seen them nosedive from being one of the top clubs into one of the whipping boys.

Ndebele feels DeMbare should take time to rebuild their team and set aside money for this competition while managing to retain players and have better pre-season preparations.

“I think the availability of resources is critical in those Caf competitions. The fact that they failed to camp in Kariba and also failed to buy some of the players they wanted says a lot,” said Ndebele.
“Clubs should take time to rebuild and put money aside for this competition.

“The clubs may really need to sit and wait for opportune time to really compete. It requires the whole football nation to sit together and see what can be done.
“Teams such as Ah Ahly and TP Mazembe are doing very well as they have resources and are able to retain the players and even have money to have private jets or charter flights.”

Former national team defender Moyo, who is also a coach, said the move, from Dynamos’ point of view, was understandable but had negative effects in terms of development.
“From a technical point of view, they are correct and it is unfortunate that our season doesn’t tally with other countries and as long as there are no resources it will always be a problem,” said Moyo.

“It is understandable, but very negative in terms of development but from where they are coming from it makes sense.
“Each year Dynamos are getting players from other clubs and when the Caf competition starts, the players would not have blended. Maybe if they had a strong youth policy, but that also failed because of lack of resources.

“If you look at the Zekumbawira (Franscesco) case, the results are now showing. Players picking up hamstring injuries because they are now trying to play above what the body can allow as they are battling to catch up and impress, at the same time, because when the pre-season started clubs were haggling over him.
“They should get enough resources to develop juniors first, but l am not in agreement with the fact they should stop participating.”
Moyo said DeMbare needed to get their planning right.

“If they win the league title with the right material, those are the players whom they have contracts with and should hold on to and play in Africa as this exposure also helps the national teams,” said Moyo.

“It is important that big clubs like Dynamos are playing regularly in competitions and this in turn will help the national team coaches, who would no longer rely on foreign-based players only.

“I sympathise with Dynamos but they should take a stance and have their own players.”
A Dynamos fan, who identified himself/herself as TrueBlue WeDeMbare, supported Mubaiwa’s proposed move in a contribution posted on The Herald website.
“This is the best decision you have made Mr Mubaiwa.Under the prevailing conditions, participating in Africa is only helping in tarnishing the team’s image and that of the country,” wrote TrueBlue WeDeMbare.

“I’ve always said that this scenario, whereby we register players who, for one reason or the other, never play for DeMbare, is our biggest undoing in Africa. And for as long as that trend continues, we will continue to suffer humiliation in Africa.

“Right now, our list at Caf, includes people like (Rodrick) Mutuma, (Simba) Sithole, (Martin) Vengesai and (Aaron) Katebe, players who are not at DeMbare for various reasons. That means we are at a disadvantage before even kicking the ball because of a depleted squad.

“Yesterday (Sunday) we had two goalkeepers on the bench, because we just don’t have the substitutes to put on that bench. Putting all our Champions League hopes on rookies like Farai Mpasiri was never going to yield the required results, no matter how you look at it.

“Let’s stop embarrassing ourselves, if we can’t put out a decent squad for the Caf Champs League, I see no reason to participate because it’s doomed right from the start.
“Let’s put our house in order first, then we can think about Africa again. If we can’t retain our best players, there is no need to keep competing in Africa where we will receive more 6-nil batterings. So I support your decision Mr Chairman.”