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Innocent Kurira, Sports Reporter
TONDERAI Ndiraya has spoken for the first time since he was shown the exit door by Dynamos on Tuesday saying his suspension during the season was mainly to blame for the team’s failure to win the league title.
Ndiraya was sacked after a disappointing season in which Dynamos finished without a trophy despite looking like championship contenders at one point. On Monday, the club announced that it was not renewing Ndiraya’s contract when it expires at the end of this year.
At one stage, the Glamour Boys led eventual champions FC Platinum by 11 points but they finished a distant 17 points off the title at the end of the race.
Ndiraya was suspended at a time Dynamos were on a nine-game winning streak, though under threat pending a verdict on their ill-fated match against Highlanders which they eventually lost 3-0 via a boardroom decision.
Yesterday, Ndiraya spoke out on his sacking through his management.
“For the record, Ndiraya assumed his football leadership role at the club in May 2019. Due to Covid-19, the PSL league for 2020 was cancelled. Only the Chibuku Super Cup was completed in 2021 and 2022 was Ndiraya’s supposed full season in charge.
“Sadly, the same 2022 was hampered by an untimely mid-season suspension which ill-timed suspension created intolerable anxiety among the players and the coaching staff at the club.
“Ndiraya endured the unfortunate suspension when the club was sitting on top of the log. Naturally, such unsettling action affected the team’s subsequent performances,” stated his management.
But although Ndiraya stopped short of going into detail about his time at Dynamos, he made it clear the working environment at Dynamos was not conducive.
“While the final position 3 out of 18 achieved by Dynamos FC on the PSL log was not glorious, it is also not an abject failure considering the prevailing difficult conditions of service at Dynamos,” Ndiraya’s management further stated.
Already, names of potential replacements for Ndiraya are being touted with the likes of Lloyd “Mablanyo” Chigowe, Murape Murape, Herbert Maruwa, South Africa-based former DeMbare defender Kaitano Tembo and Rodwell Dhlakama being linked with the job.
DeMbare are also said to be eyeing a foreigner to replace Ndiraya. — @innocentskizoe
Online Reporter
Bongani Ndlovu