Ndiraya backs Pasuwa

Grace Chingoma Sports Reporter
TONDERAI NDIRAYA might have been forced out of Dynamos under controversial circumstances this week but he appears to hold no grudges and has tipped the Glamour Boys not only to win a third straight Castle Lager Premiership title but complete a Treble of silverware. A former DeMbare player, caretaker coach and assistant coach, Ndiraya was axed this week after a spectacular fallout with his boss, head coach Callisto Pasuwa, leaving the club’s spin-doctors to try and paint a beautiful picture of divorce in which he is portrayed as having resigned to concentrate on studies.

Ndiraya fell out with Pasuwa, a man he helped win two League and Cup doubles in the past two years, with the head coach advising the club’s management that he was now better off working without his trusted lieutenant.

A lot of spin has been put in to try and project an atmosphere of tranquillity at the club, with Ndiraya being projected as a man who had decided to move on and concentrate on his studies as he completes his Diploma in Sports Coaching and Management with Gateway Christian Training College.
He is set to graduate in December and is working on completing his project after passing his written examinations.

Yesterday, Ndiraya spoke to The Herald and said he believed the time wasn’t ripe, with emotions running high, for him to discuss the reasons why he was no longer part of the Dynamos back-room staff.

With time, when tempers have cooled down a little, said Ndiraya, he would be able to tell his story to the public.
Instead, Ndiraya said he was ready to talk about football, instead of the politics of football, and backed DeMbare to win a third straight league title despite a season in which they have struggled outside the capital and trail leaders Harare City by four points.

The Glamour Boys still have tough away assignments against Highlanders and Chicken Inn, Hwange, FC Platinum and Triangle to complete in the second half of the season.

But Ndiraya believes Dynamos will wear down the opposition and, at the end of the season, will be champions once again.
“The team will win the league, the BancABC Cup, as they are already in the semi- finals, as well as retain Mbada Diamonds because it is a good team,” said Ndiraya.
“The target of the coach when the team didn’t do well in the Champions League was to shift focus and try and win everything in the domestic league.

“In terms of quality, a few teams will match DeMbare as long as all the players are fit and available.
“Yes, it will be a big challenge to displace Harare from the top, they have been consistent and if they continue to do so they will win the league.
“But Dynamos have an edge over them in that they are more experienced.

“Bigboy Mawiwi is a good coach but Pasuwa has won the championship back-to-back and Dynamos have come from behind to win the league before and will once again push.”

The former DeMbare forward said the team has suffered, in this campaign, because of injuries to key players.
“Washy (Pakamisa) got injured when he was scoring for fun and when he was trying to recover full fitness he got injured again at How Mine.
“Hopefully, when the league resumes he will get back his scoring form,” said Ndiraya.

“The top three strikers, Pakamisa, Patrick and Clive Kawinga got injured at a crucial time but they are now back at training and will add some fire power.
“Above all, we have Milton Makopa who is now fit.

“He is a hard worker and creates competition in the team and has experience and his experience should count in the home stretch.”
As he analyses this season, Ndiraya feels the Glamour Boys could have got more from their forwards.

“The biggest let-down has been the strike-force while the defence has been solid and is even more solid now because of the additions of Oscar Machapa and Victor Kamhuka,” said Ndiraya.

“Obviously, the biggest strength has been the midfield.
“Everyone in that department from Tawanda Muparati, Devon Chafa and Murape Murape has done very well.
“I am sure if they continue to push like that, we are assured of the championship.”

Ndiraya said defender Partson Jaure and striker Farai Mupasiri have been the real gems who arrived at the club as youthful players, with a lot of ambition, and developed rapidly.

While Jaure has been consistent and kept his place in the first team, Mupasiri has lost the magic that he showed last season when he exploded on the scene and his confidence looks shaky right now.

Ndiraya said the coaches did not handle Mupasiri as well as they should have done and the young player is now paying a big price for that.
“Firstly, Farai did something out of this world, coming from a rugby background and scoring six goals which helped us win the league last season,” said Ndiraya.
“I admire his talent.

“The development of a player is a process but Farai made a big impact in a short space of time and people expected a lot from him.
“Suddenly, he was left with a big responsibility when key strikers left for South Africa and had a lot of pressure to deal with.
“As a technical team, we didn’t do enough, as well as we should have done.

“He needed more game time to get in the groove.
“I have a soft spot for Jaure. If he keeps on working hard with the amount of talent he has, he will become a great player.”
Ndiraya says he will remain part of the DeMbare family and will now be the club’s number one fan.

“The coach is the main man in a team set-up,” said Ndiraya.
“The coach rules and assistant coaches are there to complement the head coach’s effort.
“So, I still believe the experience of Callisto in the league race will play a huge part this year.”