adminEddie Chikamhi Sports Reporter
THE leadership at Dynamos yesterday said the ball was now in coach David Mandigora’s court after completing the mid-season signings yesterday when they finalised the paperwork for returning striker Takesure Chinyama.
DeMbare secretary-general Webster Chikengezha said the champions got a boost when they received the international transfer certificate for the forward from South Africa where he last played for Platinum Stars and giants Orlando Pirates.
Chinyama has been training with the Harare giants for some time and has been tipped to help sharpen the strike-force, which has struggled to get goals in the first half of the season.
The mid-season window opened early this month and DeMbare have been waiting for almost two weeks to get the papers done after agreeing a deal with the striker.
Chikengezha said the executive had played their part in securing the ITC and now the pressure was on the coaches to deliver after signing four players during the transfer window.
“The clearance arrived today and we are happy with that. As leadership we feel we have done what we needed to do. We have given the technical what they wanted and the ball is now in their court.
“We believe they now have enough strikers, enough midfielders and enough defenders and obviously when you have all that you can only expect things to move in the right direction,” said Chikengezha.
DeMbare have reinforced their squad with the coming of ex-Triangle forward Richard Kawondera, Zivanai Mhanda and Rodreck Mutuma who returned home after turning out for rivals CAPS United in a troubled stint that lasted under five months.
Mutuma and Kawondera played their first league games for DeMbare this season at the weekend in the goalless draw against Hwange at Rufaro while Mhanda was an unused substitute.
Chinyama watched the match from the terraces as his papers were still being worked on.
Dynamos are currently fourth on the log standings after 16 games.
Chikengezha said they are aiming to retain the title that they won in the last four years with Callisto Pasuwa.
They have 28 points, two behind leaders Chicken Inn who, however, have a game in hand, following the abandonment of their home tie against Dongo Sawmill three weeks ago.
Dynamos have had a mixed bag of results since the start of the season and it appears their strike-force was their major handicap.
The DeMbare forwards have been struggling in front of goal as the side has managed only 15 goals from the first 16 games of the season.
Midfielder Ronald Chitiyo is their top scorer with four goals to his credit while Dominic Chungwa, Qadr Amini and Walter Mukanga have two apiece.
“We don’t want to put pressure on the coaches. But we always make it clear to any coach that comes to Dynamos that winning the title is top among the priorities.
“So, in essence, anything short of winning the league would mean that we are going backwards.
“Nothing has really changed about our expectations. We are still looking forward to some positive results in the remaining games and hopefully land the title,” said Chikengezha.
Dynamos have offloaded four players who include Milton Makopa, Cliff Sekete, Patrick Khumbula and Nigel Gandari to accommodate their mid-season signings.
Striker Farai Mupasiri’s fate is still to be decided with the possibility that the 22-year old could be loaned out.
“We are yet to make a decision on Mupasiri. We are holding on to him for now because we feel he is a young player who still has a promising future. So we are not rushing to discard him. Otherwise we should know the exact position by Thursday or Friday,” said Chikengezha.
Online Reporter