Online Reporter
Zimpapers Sports Hub
DYNAMOS technical director Aristica Cioaba flies back into a club battling newboy Nathan Mutasa’s disciplinary fall-out and fresh boardroom turmoil that has rocked the Glamour Boys just days before Saturday’s Castle Lager Premier Soccer League derby.
Cioaba, who has been in Romania on a short holiday, is expected back in the country today after initially being due yesterday.
The Romanian has reportedly been directing operations ahead of the high-profile Harare derby clash against CAPS United.
He has already intervened from abroad in the Mutasa matter, directing that the forward remain out of first-team training following Monday’s confrontation with members of the technical team.
Mutasa was again excluded from the main group yesterday and trained alone on the sidelines while the rest of the squad continued preparations for the derby against CAPS United.
“The coach made it clear that he should not be allowed to train with the rest of the team until his issues are sorted and he is cleared to play,” said a member of the technical team.
“He sends us a schedule and clear guidelines for training, and freezing out Mutasa was one of his directives following the Monday incident.
“It has been a while. Mutasa has been testing the technical team’s patience, and they have been quiet.
“Even when the coach spoke about it publicly, Mutasa did not slow down. Maybe this is the only way to restore some discipline and order in camp.”
Mutasa has been excluded from first-team training following repeated disciplinary concerns, including missed sessions and reported confrontations with members of the technical team.
The forward was fined last week for an unexcused absence from training.
Tensions came to a head on Monday at The Heart Stadium when a heated exchange involving Mutasa and members of the technical team forced assistant coach Lawrence Mawulorm to cut the session short.
Mawulorm has been overseeing preparations in Cioaba’s absence.
It remains unclear whether Cioaba will clear Mutasa in time for Saturday’s showdown against old city rivals CAPS United.
The uncertainty leaves Dynamos facing a selection decision as they seek revenge against CAPS United, who beat them 2-1 in the reverse fixture earlier in the season.
DeMbare are also looking to recover from a 1-0 defeat to Chicken Inn, their first loss in the second half of the season and only their third league defeat of the campaign.
Cioaba’s return also comes at a time when problems are not confined to the technical side.
The club boardroom is on fire with DeMbare secretary-general Divine Sena and chief executive officer Desmond Bvute having allegedly been frozen out by chairman Vincent Chawonza.
Dynamos appointed AMG Global Chartered Accountants as independent financial consultants to conduct a comprehensive review of the club’s financial management systems, governance structures, policies, procedures and internal controls.
The six-month exercise, which commenced on August 1, is aimed at strengthening financial accountability, improving operational efficiency and safeguarding the club’s assets, and the accountants will only be working closely with Chawonza.
Amid the cold war, Zimpapers Sports Hub understands that Bvute offered to resign, but board chairman Bernard Marriot Lusengo, who is understood to be in South Africa, has still not deliberated on the matter.
Dynamos patron Webster Shamu, concerned about the internal strife, is also understood to be making some manoeuvres along with Marriot to assist Chawonza, Sena and Bvute “to resolve their differences amicably’’.
While Dynamos have traditionally been rocked by such problems like player strikes ahead of such big assignments like the derby or the Battle of Zimbabwe showdown with Highlanders, this is the first time that they head into their storied clash against CAPS United with the executive committee members on each others’ throats.
Amid the turmoil in the boardroom, it means Cioba would have to be the one to deal with the Mutasa issue.
For now, Mutasa remains outside the first-team group, with Cioba’s return set to determine whether he has any part to play against CAPS United on Saturday.
CAPS united have their own worries centres round an injury-crisis and the problems rocking their midfielder, Tanaka Shandirwa, who is virtually out of the derby as he nurses injuries sustained in an off-field altercation that is yet to be fully explained by the club.
