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Petros Kausiyo and Eddie Chikamhi
ZIMBABWE champions Dynamos continued to be stalked by a crisis of strikers with the Harare giants being forced to register just three attackers in a thin 19-member squad for their Champions League squad yesterday. On the day that Fifa congratulated Dynamos for winning the domestic Premiership title, the Glamour Boys were facing a reality check with their bid to sign more strikers having hit a hard rock.
In a brief statement addressed to Zifa boss, Cuthbert Dube, Fifa president Sepp Blatter congratulated DeMbare for winning the third consecutive league title.
“Dear President, please pass my warmest congratulations to Dynamos on winning the third consecutive league title in Zimbabwe.
“Please convey my warmest wishes to all of the players, the manager, the technical and medical staff and all of the team’s supporters as each part of this organisation have no doubt been instrumental in the club’s victory.
“On behalf of the world football community, I would like to thank Dynamos for the excitement they bring to fans of the beautiful game, and I wish them much success in the years to come,” said Blatter.
DeMbare must submit their player register to Caf by midnight on Sunday and yesterday coach Callisto Pasuwa and team manager Richard Chihoro were shuttling between the Premier Soccer League offices and the Zifa headquarters to put together the names that have to be sent to Cairo, Egypt.
Pasuwa emerged from those series of meetings to announce that they had so far only managed to register an initial 19 players by yesterday and would continue to finalise deals to add more names, including that of newboy Ronald Chitiyo.
Chitiyo’s fellow new arrival, centre back Themba Ndlovu, was registered after Dynamos appeared to have concluded a deal to bring on the former Buffaloes defender.
Pasuwa said although Chitiyo had been recruited from relegated Monomotapa, the diminutive forward was still finalising personal terms with DeMbare.
But it is the lack of attacking options that remains a concern for the Dynamos coach who has so far been forced to register just three recognised strikers – Simba Sithole, Washington Pakamisa and Patrick Khumbula.
Efforts by Dynamos lure Nelson Maziwisa and Donald Ngoma fell through this week after the pair decided to stay put at FC Platinum.
Sithole, who rejoined Dynamos after an unsuccessful spell at SuperSport United, scored three goals in the Harare giants’ last three games.
Pakasima had nine goals and Khumbula found the target only four times.
“I have made a provision that those whose contracts are still being finalised by the club management will be registered as soon as those deals are concluded and we have players like Russell Madamombe, Walter Mukanga, Bogere (Boban Ziruntusa), Chitiyo and Milton Ncube who are still working on the finer details of their contracts with the club,’’ Pasuwa said.
Ugandan Zirintusa and Madamamombe were on the Dynamos books in the 2013 season and are currently negotiating contract extensions.
It has also emerged that Dynamos are eyeing the services of Chicken Inn midfielder Kuda Mahachi and Highlanders’ Milton Ncube while the Glamour Boys are on the verge of securing midfielder Walter Mukanga from Triangle.
“We are also having a challenge in that some of the players who are involved in talks with the Dynamos management have been shifting goalposts and trying to take advantage of the fact that the club is in a desperate situation to register players . . . they seem to agree on certain things today and then come back with a different story the following day.
“But we hope that the talks will not last forever and maybe if all goes well we register them at the last minute but for now we have registered those whose contract have been completed,’’ said Pasuwa.
The Dynamos coach also explained the absence of another striker Clive Kawinga who had a 2013 season that was blighted by injuries and contributed just four goals.
“Clive has been struggling with injuries and it must be remembered that he was recently in plaster so the team doctors would have to give us the green light but so far they have said he is a long-term injury casualty.”
Team manager Richard Chihoro also feels Maziwisa and Ngoma used DeMbare to negotiate for better packages at their club.
“It now seems that some players are using the name Dynamos to negotiate for better deals at their clubs. This is not the first time we encountered such actions and we are not amused by such behaviour.
“Imagine we have been talking to someone all along and we had agreed on many things but all of a sudden he doesn’t want to pick up his phone and then we are told he has been offered a better deal at his club.
“It’s very unprofessional. We are working on a deadline and we have no time to waste,” said Chihoro.
Midfielder Devon Chafa, who is currently sitting on a Fifa ban, was not included in the squad.
Champions League squad:
Goalkeepers:
George Chigova, Artwell Mukandi
Defenders:
Oscar Machapa, Augustine Mbara, Victor Kamhuka, Thomas Magorimbo, Partson Jaure, Themba Ndlovu, Ocean Mushure, Gift Bello, Sydney Linyama
Midfielders:
Stephen Alimenda, Murape Murape, Tichaona Mabvura, Tawanda Muparati, Cliff Sekete
Strikers: Simba Sithole, Washington Pakamisa, Patrick Khumbula.
Online Reporter