adminGrace Chingoma Sports Reporter
DYNAMOS skipper Murape Murape wants his troops to break away from their tradition of being slow starters and challenged them to get the defence of their Premiership title off to a flyer when they face How Mine at Barbourfields on Sunday. Murape noted that the competition in the Premiership was increasingly getting tough and warned Dynamos against having to play catch up as they often do every season.
DeMbare had to make a late charge for their record third straight league title after letting the likes of Harare City and bitter rivals Highlanders threaten to snatch the crown.
Just last season the champions’ first victory came after six matches which had been preceded by a streak of draws.
Their veteran captain and midfielder Murape says “it is time to change they way they approach league business at the start of the season and do things differently’’.
After both sides failed to make strides in the Champions League and Confederation Cup respectively, they shift their attention to the domestic front and Murape revealed his team’s respect for the gold miners.
Dynamos, Murape also said would always remain the team to beat in the Premiership largely because of their record and the fact that they are the defending champions.
“We are prepared. We want to start with a positive result and if we collect three points it would be a good start and will help us in games to follow.
“We usually start with draws but we need to break away from that. We need consistency remember all the teams want to beat us and this is a marathon but it helps to start winning early and pick all the points because later we would be needing all the points we would have lost early in the season. “How Mine were also playing in Africa and they are a good team so for this match we would be on the same level and it should be a good game,” said Murape.
Murape said the Glamour Boys were clear about their aims for this season which is “to win everything on offer’’.
He further states that last year they lost the Mbada Cup and would also want to reclaim it on top of all other trophies on offer in the domestic league.
“We are happy we have managed to win one Cup already before the league kicked off. That is our aim to win everything this year. As Dynamos, we are the number one team, we are a big name but have to be always ahead of others.
“We want to defend our title. We lost the Mbada Cup last year and would want to get it back on top of other trophies,” Murape said. The Dynamos captain also reckoned that their 2014 squad would be much stronger compared to last season’s side but he was quick to point out that the squad would be judged by the results and what they achieve.
“We have 35 registered players and more senior players unlike last year where we didn’t have much depth. This brings competition in the team and it’s healthy.
“We have players such as Masimba Mambare, Walter Mukanga, Anesu Gondo and Themba Ndlovu. They have come in and adjusted quickly. But it is also a new season and it’s a process and we have to work hard together as a team. The current team can only be judged by what we will achieve. We have the hunger and we believe in ourselves. We are the giants and we remind each other as players that we have to do well and looking at the zeal being shown by the new players you can really see we can achieve more. Some of these players haven’t won a league title and would want to do it with Dynamos,” Murape said. The team has been hit with some injuries ahead of the start of the season but some of the players including Murape have begun light training and are expected to have fully recovered by the time Callisto Pasuwa’s men travel to Bulawayo.
Fixtures:
Saturday: Bantu Rovers v Black Rhinos (Luveve 1pm SS9); Chicken Inn v Harare City (Luveve 3.30pm SS9); Chapungu v Highlanders (Ascot); Chiredzi v FC Platinum (Chishamiso).
Sunday: Hwange v Buffaloes (Colliery); How Mine v Dynamos (Barbourfields Stadium 3pm SS9); Shabanie Mine v Triangle United (Maglas); CAPS United v ZPC Kariba (Gwanzura).
Online Reporter