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Tadious Manyepo
Sports Reporter
HERBERT “Jompano” Maruwa has no hard feelings against Dynamos, at face value, at least.
He says he wishes to see Dynamos succeed on all fronts with the sacked Glamour Boys coach choosing to be diplomatic amid a barrage of sensational accusations by club vice-chairman Vincent Chawonza exactly a week after his dismissal.
The former Black Rhinos gaffer was axed for supposed poor results despite the fact that DeMbare are only nine points behind log leaders Highlanders with 48 points still up for grabs in the championship marathon.
Nine points are in every way practically possible to surmount and Dynamos themselves can bear witness.
At some stage point midway through the season last term, DeMbare, then under the tutelage of Tonderai Ndiraya led the league race with a 15-point advantage over FC Platinum and 11 cushioning them ahead of Chicken Inn.
But in the end, FC Platinum were crowned champions while Chicken Inn finished runners-up wand DeMbare settled for third place.
What is even more shocking in Maruwa’s dismissal by Dynamos is the fact that despite the executive giving him and his entire technical department a five-match ultimatum to collect 15 points, it was only Maruwa who was chased away.
His former assistant Genesis Mangombe, whom he recommended to understudy him following his appointment to the post last year, has elevated to acting head coach.
Amid allegations of serious backbiting and gossiping, which is not new at Dynamos, anyway, some members of the executive are believed to have been bent on seeing Maruwa’s back in favour of Mangombe.
Third assistant Murape Murape and team manager Richard Chihoro were slapped with suspensions with former club captain Murape believed to have been facing comical charges of attending to his phone during a meeting between the executive and the technical crew.
Critics have also pointed to the need for the Dynamos administration to assess their performance and acknowledge that there has been no executive that has managed to deliver any silverware despite the high coach turn-over in the same period.
In what has been viewed as a desperate bid to justify Maruwa’s dismissal, Chawonza has gone public claiming that some players were complaining that they were being forced to subscribe to some uncouth religious beliefs.
“Imagine some player is a Christian and is given some juju from a Sangoma to put in socks.
“So those were some of the complaints we received within the club,” Chawonza told ZTN Prime’s premium football show -The Couch.
But over 80 percent of the players have since denied ever being forced into any “beliefs or juju” by Maruwa.
“In our dressing room, we usually used to pray together as a team. Coach Maruwa (Herbert) goes to an apostolic sect and usually he prays his own way while everyone is told to pray their own ways but together.
“I don’t remember any day that we were told to use any juju,” said one player who is one of the regulars at DeMbare.
Amid the barrage of attacks by Chawonza, Maruwa, who has also reportedly set his sights on the Young Warriors job at ZIFA, has chosen to be diplomatic.
“I don’t have anything bad about Dynamos, neither am I bitter.
“I am happy for having been given an opportunity to lead a team that is so close to my heart,” said Maruwa.
“Dynamos is my home as I was there in the junior development structures and I was also part of the backroom staff under Callisto Pasuwa’s history-making exploits.
“This is the biggest team in Zimbabwe and to have been afforded a chance to coach there is such a good thing. I am very happy”.
He said he remains loyal and respectful to the Dynamos management including Chawonza.
“Those are my former bosses and I respect them a lot. I am a Christian and to be accused of practicing sinister religious undertakings is part of the game.
“I don’t remember any day that I forced anyone to partake in any orthodox or unorthodox religious practices. My job was to implement tactics.
“But then who am I?
“I am a mere human and I know God has the answer. But to be honest, I don’t have any hard feelings on anyone at Dynamos. My wish is to see the team doing well in the field of play.”
Maruwa said although the league marathon was tough, Dynamos were starting to strike the right chords and he still believes they can reclaim the title they last in 2014.
“I do believe in that squad. It has good balance, it’s only that we assembled this team from different individuals whose confidence levels were not the same.
“They are talented boys and all we have been doing was orienting them to the Dynamos philosophy and they are now on the right track.
“I believe Mangombe (Genesis) has what it takes to move the dream forward. I am very happy that the team won (1-0) against Simba Bhora on Saturday to progress to the Chibuku Super Cup quarter-finals.”
Despite expressing no hard feelings, Maruwa’s handlers are said to be currently studying the manner in which he was jettisoned from the DeMbare dressing and ensure he gets his dues in a spirit of fairness.
Online Reporter