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Tadious Manyepo Sports Reporter
DYNAMOS have lost much more than just their usual glamour.
They have missed out on a hefty US$150 000 payout from their anchor sponsors Sakunda Holdings.
DeMbare were to receive the windfall in the event they qualified to participate in the CAF competitions.
But, they have punched way below their weight this season, failing to sustain a push on the Castle Lager Premiership honours as well as the Chibuku Super Cup.
Despite starting the season brightly, they eventually fizzled out, allowing FC Platinum to win the title with three games to spare.
They were eliminated from the Chibuku Super Cup by the same team in the quarter-finals. And the future of coach Tonderai Ndiraya is looking increasingly uncertain with a single match remaining in the marathon.
Dynamos face CAPS United in their last game and even if they win and Chicken Inn avoid defeat in their own match, the Glamour Boys will finish third.
Mumours of discontent have been growing louder with each passing week and with Ndiraya’s contract running out on December 31, the former midfielder may find himself walking out of the club.
That Dynamos spent almost US$140 000 on new players this season and failing to win any silverware has added to the brutal scrutiny of the charismatic gaffer.
Dynamos executive chairman, Isaiah Mupfurutsa, was yesterday coy about the future of Ndiraya.
“I can’t say anything as yet. Our coach remains Tonderai Ndiraya and we still have a contract with him which runs up to the end of this year,” he said.
“So, as things stand, we can’t discuss about it. We will only be in a position to decide that when the coach’s contract runs out.”
While the immediate task for Dynamos is preparing for a date against CAPS United at the National Sports Stadium on Sunday, they have already started working on building a stronger team for the 2023 season.
The Glamour Boys have already approached Chicken Inn goalkeeper Donovan Bernard whom they want to take on board next year.
Bernard’s current contract with the Bulawayo team expires at the end of this year and he has not signed an extension as yet.
DeMbare wanted to take the agile goalie at the start of this year but failed to land him.
But, with his stay at the Gamecocks coming to an end this December, Dynamos are hoping to sign him as a free agent. An executive member in the team confirmed the team has already initiated talks with him.
“As you might be aware, we wanted to sign Donovan Bernard at the start of this year but we failed. We still have interest in taking him aboard. We have made an offer which looks good to him and the response has been positive,” he said.
“But, everything will depend on a number of factors.”
Bernard himself is understood to be interested in the move but he wants to first see if there will be better offers from outside the country. He refused to take an offer from South African side Tshakuma Tsha Madzivandila two months ago. And he will be hoping to get a better deal, given his form in the domestic league.
He has been one of the most outstanding goalkeepers with 17 clean sheets to his name this season. There is a possibility he will end up at Dynamos, especially after damaging allegations of match-fixing involving the Dynamos Number One Taimon Mvula were raised last month. Mvula’s availability at DeMbare was one of the main reasons Bernard decided to stay at Chicken Inn. But now that Mvula is no longer a trusted man at the Glamour Boys, Bernard could take the offer.
But, it will all depend on what Chicken Inn put on the table for the goalkeeper.
Chicken Inn secretary-general Tawengwa Hara said his team will try to retain a strong team including Bernard next season.
“What I can only say is that Bernard is our player and we will try to keep a strong squad for next year with him being a part of it,” said Hara.
Besides Bernard, DeMbare have also started making overtures to the Premiership top scorer William Manondo. The latter has been outstanding, carrying CAPS United almost on his own in a season Makepekepe haven’t performed to expectations. Manondo has scored 16 goals and Dynamos, whose entire strike-force has scored a single goal all season, will be hoping the former Harare City man will be the answer to their goal-scoring shortcomings.
Online Reporter