Is Maruwa the right man for DeMbare?

Eddie Chikamhi Senior Sports Reporter

THE appointment of Hebert Maruwa to lead Dynamos next season has met with mixed feelings from the cross-section of the Harare giants’ supporters.

Maruwa replaced Tonderai Ndiraya, whose contract was not renewed despite leading the Glamour Boys to a third place finish in the just-ended season.

His immediate task is to set the Glamour Boys back on the path to contend for the league title, which they last won in 2014.

FC Platinum have dominated the last four editions and it appears the DeMbare family are desperate to end the stranglehold.

Ndiraya managed to transform the side from a team that fought relegation to a championship contender during his three-year tenure. Still, the club’s leadership was not convinced and decided against renewing his contract. And, in comes Maruwa.

Not much is known about Maruwa among the multitudes of the DeMbare fans. To some he is an anonymous entity while others contend that he does not have the proven track record to take the reins at such a big institution.

Maruwa is yet to win a major title in his topflight career which took off in Swaziland about six years back. His best performance was reaching a cup final in his debut season in Swaziland.

And some Dynamos faithful have questioned his fitness to lead DeMbare, who are the country’s most successful team with 21 titles and several other trophies, back to the glory days and they could be justified. At face value, Maruwa’s curriculum vitae does not inspire so much confidence.

It appears he still has a long way to go, following a not so great outing in Swaziland and a run-of-the-mill performance with army side Black Rhinos in the last four years. But it’s all up to him to prove his capabilities to the “Doubting Thomases”.

Dynamos legend David George yesterday told The Herald that the new coach should be given support. George said Maruwa, a former Dynamos development coach, does not need to be lectured on what to expect.

“I think he just needs everyone’s support. We all know there is so much pressure at this club because Dynamos supporters are used to winning things from long back. It’s the culture of the club. So they want to see their team winning games, nothing else.

“And, I will be honest here, if you are a coach and you are joining Dynamos, we assume that you know the weight of expectations and the demands, so you simply have to measure up to the challenge.

“But Herbert is not new to Dynamos. He has passed through the system before as a juniors’ coach and I hope this background will help him settle in quickly,” said George.

Maruwa is a holder of a CAF A Licence, which makes him eligible to sit on the DeMbare bench as head coach next season.

He once worked under the wings of Callisto Pasuwa and was part of the serial championship winning Dynamos side that dominated local football between 2011 and 2014.

Maruwa left DeMbare and joined ZIFA Eastern Region Division One side Hartley in 2015, as he wanted to hone his skills as head coach.

He later took his skills to Swaziland where he reached the finals of the Swazi Bank Cup final with Green Mamba in 2016. Maruwa also coached MbabaneHighlanders before returning home in 2018 to join army side Black Rhinos.

But he spent the last few months of the 2022 season at Harare City after terminating his four-year marriage with Black Rhinos.

The decision to accept the Dynamos hot seat should be a new challenge to him. Acceptance by the DeMbare faithful should be the starting point in this new journey and this can only be determined by his initial impression.

At Dynamos, they claim they have a culture, which has been best passed on through former DeMbare players in their 59-year history.

The list of Dynamos sons that went on to coach the side is endless, from earliest days under the legendary Obediah Sarupinda, who passed on the baton to the likes of Shaw Handriade and Shadreck Ngwenya before Independence.

Along the way, they also had Shepherd Murape, Ernest Kamba, Trevor Carelse-Juul, David Madondo, Peter Nyama, Sunday Chidzambwa, David George, Moses Chunga, Cremio Mapfumo, Clayton Munemo, David Mandigora, Elvis Chiweshe, Lloyd Mutasa, Callisto Pasuwa, Tonderai Ndiraya, Lloyd Chigowe and Labani Kandi.

Chidzamba was the most successful of the lot, raking in numerous silverware and leading the club to the finals of the CAF Champions League in 1998.

“It’s been like that for many years. Maybe it’s because the club has produced many players that went on to take up coaching later on and did well. So it’s easier to turn to former players because they are well-versed with the club’s culture and systems.

“But that does not mean anyone who did not play for Dynamos cannot do the job. They have been there before and now it’s Herbert’s turn. He needs the support from everyone and who knows? Maybe he is the one who will bring the much-needed turn around,” said George.

But Maruwa is not the first non-DeMbare son to coach the Harare giants. Some have come before him and achieved considerable success. Among the non-former Dynamos players was Armando Ferreira, Micky Poole, Roy Cook, Bob Lines, Luke Masomere while the foreigners included Fred Mwila, Keegan Mumba (both Zambia), Clemens Westerhof (Netherlands), Zoran Pesic (Serbia) and Paulo Jorge Silva of Portugal was the last.

Dynamos last won a major silverware in 2014 under Pasuwa. Maruwa, however, is looking ahead with confidence. He is aiming to build up from the club’s third-place finish achieved last season.

He has already hit the ground running in preparation for the upcoming Unity Day against Highlanders on December 22.

“We need to make sure we improve the team. I thank and salute the previous coaches for working hard and finishing in third position (this season). We will have to see the material which is there and come up with a good team,” said Maruwa.

The Herald understands that Murape Murape and former Yadah Stars head coach, Genesis Mangombe, will come in as Maruwa’s assistant coaches while ex-Black Rhinos goal-minder, Britto Gwere, will join the Glamour Boys’ technical staff as the goalkeepers’ coach.

Former Dynamos head coach, Lloyd “Mablanyo” Chigowe, is set to return to the club as the head of development while Vincent Chabwana will be the fitness trainer.

Desmond Mhene will also come in as the analyst accompanied by Richard Chihoro, who retains his post as the team manager.