Online Reporter
Eddie Chikamhi
Zimpapers Sports Hub
HARARE giants Dynamos are hoping to fill the vacant coach position by end of this week to enable the team to undertake an early pre-season training camp.
The Glamour Boys this week intensified their efforts to woo club legend Kalisto Pasuwa to return home and assume the reins of head coach. Pasuwa has emerged as the prime target of the new DeMbare executive, which was only appointed just over a week ago and immediately set out in the hunt for a coach to fill the vacancy created by the departure of Zambian Kelvin Kaindu.
However, the major sticking point is that Pasuwa still has a running contract with the Football Association of Malawi where he is employed as the senior team coach until January next year.
Dynamos are understood to have tabled two offers to try and persuade the coach to negotiate for a mutual separation with his current employers at FAM.
But the Glamour Boys are yet to agree on the figures with the coach.
Newly appointed DeMbare chairman Vincent Chawonza said the hunt for a coach was still a work in progress and cautioned the club’s fans and stakeholders against panic.
“Of course, negotiations have been taking place (with Pasuwa), and I think we don’t need to be saying much at this point. We prefer working quietly, and that is what we have been doing behind the scenes.
“There have been many options presented to us. We received CVs from different parts of the world and hopefully, by Friday we should have finished with the issue of the coach so that the team will start looking at pre-season training,” said Chawonza.
Pasuwa left a mark at Dynamos the last time he coached the team after winning a historic four consecutive league titles between 2011 and 2014, and the DeMbare family is unanimous that the gaffer, who has also done well in Malawi, could bring the magic to turn back the hands of time at the struggling giants.
An as yet unnamed Serbian coach is also being touted for the Dynamos job, as is Zambian coach Wedson Nyirenda.
But it seems the pursuit of former Chipolopolo coach Nyirenda stalled after the ex-Baroka gaffer presented a signing-on fee and salary cap that is beyond the Glamour Boys’ financial capacity. DeMbare will this year compete on two fronts as they are earmarked to return to Africa as the country’s representatives in the CAF Confederation Cup.
They need to build a strong team to be able to withstand the demands ahead of the taxing season and have been pursuing players such as Walter Musona, Khama Billiat, Tichaona Chipunza, Michael Tapera and goalkeeper Kelvin Shangiwa from Scottland.
DeMbare are also eyeing midfielders Perfect Chikwende and Blessed Ndereki and are keeping tabs on captain Emmanuel Jalai who has reportedly attracted interest from teams in North Africa.
Jalai’s contract expired on December 31, and DeMbare are keen on renewing the marriage.
They are also working on new contracts for midfielders Shadreck Nyahwa and Temptation Chiwunga.
