DeMbare meet over squad

Eddie Chikamhi Sports Reporter
DYNAMOS executive and the technical team are set to convene a meeting on Monday to map the way forward after failing to land players who were on top of their wish list to beef up their squad for next year’s Champions League.
The Harare giants have indicated they want to add some steel to their side which has struggled on the continent in the last three seasons but their efforts to lure big name players have been severely restrained by lack of financial resources.

Caf have put December 31 as the deadline for the participating teams to register their players and the Glamour Boys have about 10 days to finalise their squad.

The deadline, however, will be flexible to allow them to alter the squad up to January 15, but that would come with extra costs as they would have to pay US$500 for each player registered in the new year.

DeMbare need to put their plan B in motion after their advances for players such as Nelson Maziwisa and Donald Ngoma, who were on top of their shopping list, were turned down.

Their efforts to lure big name player in the domestic Premiership, including Soccer Star of the Year runner-up Kuda Mahachi, have been hampered by the lack of a financial muscle despite the players having expressed their willingness to join the club.

Club secretary-general Webster Chikengezha yesterday said the Harare giants will be meeting to take stock of their team and to draft the way forward.

“We are meeting the technical side on Monday to work at the team. We would want to hear from them, what they have decided on, who is going to stay and who is leaving.

“Actually, we could have held that meeting today (yesterday) but we couldn’t because Pasuwa had a busy training programme with the Warriors,” said Chikengezha.

The Harare giants had shortlisted a squad of 24 in time for the initial deadline last week as they retained the bulk of the players who featured in the Premiership competition this year.

Dynamos had to register midfielders Russell Madamombe and Devon Chafa while talks to renew their contracts are in progress.
There were only three additions to the side with former Monomotapa’s Ronald Chitiyo, ex-Buffaloes defender Themba Ndlovu and midfielder Walter Mukanga on the list.

The players however had not signed contracts as they were negotiating with the Harare giants, with the signing on fees and other perks the major sticking point.

The Glamour Boys have also renewed their interests in former CAPS United and Ajax Cape Town midfielder Tafadzwa Rusike who is currently not attached to any club.

“On the issue of the strikeforce, it depends on the coaches themselves and the formation they would want to use. So it’s up to them on whether they want to add or not. That is what we are going to hear from them.

“But if we can get Rusike I am sure that will also go a long way to balance things because he can also play forward.
“Our plans did not go well because on top of the list we had Ngoma and Maziwisa. We had agreed on many things with the players but we could not afford what they were asking for.

“So it’s the coaches who will give us the way forward. But we are still pursuing negotiations with Tafadzwa Rusike and we are hoping to reach an agreement with him,” said Chikengezha.

DeMbare will begin their campaign in the preliminary round against Botswana’s Mochudi Centre Chiefs, according to the draw conducted this week.