Online Reporter
Langton Nyakwenda
THE last time Dynamos coach Lloyd “MaBlanyo” Chigowe suffered three consecutive defeats, he was fired from his post.
That was after he had lost to Hwange, Chicken Inn and Herentals during the opening four matches of the 2019 season.
Chigowe finds himself in the same predicament as DeMbare are on a three-game losing streak, in one of their worst starts to a season in seven years.
Dynamos host out-of-sorts Kwekwe United at Rufaro Stadium this afternoon, on the back of the three straight defeats against Manica Diamonds, Chicken Inn and MWOS.
DeMbare have not scored in the last three games.
They have a total of two goals in seven matches, which translates to a paltry 0.28 goals per match ratio.
With six points from their opening seven matches, this is DeMbare’s worst start to a season since 2018 when they managed just three points, at this stage.
Whether financially crippled Kwekwe United would turn up at Rufaro or not was one of the topical subjects throughout last week, but the main focus has been on Chigowe’s future as Dynamos coach.
Kwekwe United failed to turn up for their home match against Herentials at Bata Stadium on Easter Monday, raising concern over their ability to travel to Harare.
Reports have suggested that the Dynamos executive, led by Moses Maunganidze, is contemplating firing Chigowe, should he fail to win against Kwekwe United this afternoon.
But, is Chigowe solely to blame for DeMbare’s crisis? Has the Dynamos executive done enough to support the coach?
“No, not at all, the executive has done absolutely nothing to support the coach,” says a former Dynamos star player who declined to be named.
“Chigowe is always the scapegoat, yet they always turn to him whenever the club’s finances are poor and they are in a coaching crisis.
“Remember, back in 2019, MaBlanyo assembled a team without a budget following the departure of erstwhile sponsors Remington Gold. When results didn’t come, he was fired. He was hired again as a stop-gap measure.
“Now, the team is in a crisis with no proper sponsorship and the coach is once again the scapegoat.”
Goal-scoring has been a crisis at Dynamos, for many seasons now.
The giants, who appear to be fading, have two goals in seven matches so far this season.
One of those goals was an own goal, against TelOne on Match Day Three.
Zimpapers Sports Hub understands Chigowe wanted to solve the goal-scoring crisis by signing two strikers and a reputable attacking linkman during the off season.
He intended to bring on board 2023 Golden Boot winner William Manondo and former Ngezi Platinum Stars striker Moses Demera.
Highly rated attacking midfielder Juan Mutudza was also on Chigowe’s wish list, which also had defenders Carlos Mavhurume and Boid Mutukure.
None of the above was signed.
Instead, Dynamos lost a number of key players, including the influential midfield pair of Donald Mudadi and Tanaka Shandirwa, as well as Ghanaian forward Emmanuel Paga.
Former skipper Frank Makarati left for TelOne.
Since Sakunda Holdings are only catering for salaries, the Dynamos executive has been struggling to source funds for other expenses like signing-on fees and outstanding winning bonuses, some of which stretch back to the last season. Resultantly, Dynamos are in a mess and morale is ebbing.
Chigowe has been talking about the goal-scoring crisis in the buildup to today’s clash against Kwekwe United.
The veteran gaffer is already looking forward to the midseason window, with a view to adding more firepower.
It remains to be seen whether Maunganidze and his executive will provide funds for such ventures.
“It’s worrying, because if you see the margins of 1-0, it shows you that we’ve got a crisis in front of goal. We get chances, we don’t take them,” said Chigowe.
“Naturally, you are in the middle where you cannot register new players and you cannot make amends to that situation.
“So, you’ve got now to raise the levels of your training to make sure that at least you get one or two goals to take you across the line. But it’s worrying that we have not been getting goals.”
Defensive midfielder Shadreck Nyahwa is the only Dynamos player who has scored this season.
