Online Reporter
Blessing Malinganiza
Zimpapers Sports Hub
DYNAMOS coach Genesis Mangombe says the club’s preseason camp in Hwange is about more than fitness.
He says it’s about identity, pressure, and resetting standards at a club that lives under constant scrutiny.
The Glamour Boys are in Hwange for the week-long camp, their most intensive block of work ahead of the new season.
“This camp is about bonding, building combinations, and understanding what Dynamos is,” Mangombe said.
“It’s also about understanding our fans, what they expect from us, and how we manage that pressure.” Mangombe was blunt about the demands of playing for DeMbare, especially for the new faces in his squad.
“This is a big club. Playing for Dynamos is serious business,” he said.
“It’s not like other teams. We have new players coming in from Triangle, Bikita, Green Fuel, Simba and we also have foreign players from different leagues.
“Everyone must understand what is required here.”
Dynamos have undergone another rebuilding following a difficult campaign that ended without silverware and amid growing frustration from supporters.
The departure of captain Emmanuel Jalai to Durban City stripped the side of experience, but Mangombe insists the response in the transfer market has been deliberate.
They have brought in Moses Derera, Perfect Chikwende, Anotidaishe Gwatidzo, Witness Shave, Prosper Kafelapanjela, among others, with the focus firmly on youth and energy.
“Our recruitment wasn’t bad,” Mangombe said. “We targeted young, energetic players, players who can understand quickly.
“Some of them I’ve worked with before, so that helps. We also still have players who understand how I want us to play, and they will help the new guys settle.” The Hwange camp follows a series of internal friendlies in Harare that Mangombe says exposed both promise and problems.
“We’ve been playing internal games and things were coming together,” he said. “There are small things that need fixing, and this camp gives us time to address them properly.
“We will also play practice matches here, and those games will shape the team.”
Attention now turns to Sunday’s Jairos Jiri Cup clash against Highlanders, Dynamos’ first high-profile outing of the year and an early gauge of where the team stands.
“For us, this cup is important,” Mangombe said. “It’s our first competitive match and we will use it to assess ourselves for the league and the Challenge Cup.
“We want to see who can handle pressure, who can play in front of a full stadium, and who can execute the way we want to play.”
Mathew Masinge