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Tadious Manyepo–Sports Reporter
AFTER notching up a statement third consecutive Castle Lager Premiership football win on Saturday, Dynamos coach Tonderai Ndiraya was quick to remind his players what he always says before, during and after training.
The Glamour Boys beat ZPC Kariba 2-0 at the National Sports Stadium to not only consolidate third place on the log but underline their competitive intent this season.
Ghanaian Emmanuel Paga converted a first-half penalty before Belgium-bound teenager Bill Antonio sealed the points for the giants just before the full-time whistle.
And Ndiraya is happy but not entirely satisfied with the progress his charges are making reminding them of the “24-hour-rule” he religiously preaches regularly.
“We always remind each other of the 24-hour rule which is to play and win, if we win, we should forget about it and look forward to the next game. This is what we always preach,” said Ndiraya.
“I am happy with what we have achieved so far. Most importantly, we got three wins on the trot now which is quite remarkable.
“We certainly know that it is a long process, a long road that we have to travel consistently and we should do enough at training.
“We go step by step, game by game. We got two wins in a row and now it’s three, our next target now is four. All the games we are playing are very difficult but we should keep going.”
There is still a general poor turn out by fans at local matches but the match against ZPC Kariba had a better attendance apparently because of DeMbare’s fine current form.
“I am happy and I really want to salute the fans who are keeping on pushing us. In Saturday’s match against ZPC Kariba, they were really an amazing lot, they kept on rooting for us even when the chips were down on the field of play. We should not disappoint them,” Ndiraya said.
And there is also a new hero at the Glamour Boys by the name of Antonio.
It has been so long when the team last had a natural match-winner.
But Antonio, who is being linked with a trial stint with a Belgian top football side, KV Mechelen next month, is proving to be the Dynamos X-Factor.
He scored in the match against Bulawayo Chiefs in the City of Kings three weeks ago after coming on from the bench before playing a part in all the three goals Dynamos scored in their 3-1 win over Tenax at the giant stadium last weekend. And on Saturday, he was again in the thick of things, playing a part in the first goal before wrapping up the victory in the dying minutes.
Ndiraya said, as a coach, he was getting worried, especially with the amount of publicity the young man was getting which he said should not get into Antonio’s head.
“I am very happy for Bill (Antonio). He was involved in all the three goals we scored against Tenax, having scored against Bulawayo Chiefs a week earlier. And against ZPC Kariba, he was also involved in both goals, including scoring the second.
“He is a young boy who is progressing very well. I hope he can keep his head cool and put in the work perpetually.
“I am a bit worried about the publicity he is getting but I will be the first person to agree he deserves it entirely.
“Being a leader in himself, I hope all the publicity he is getting won’t affect him in any way.
“He was a leader at Prince Edward School and that role doesn’t come easily at an institution like Prince Edward . . . I hope he will manage the fame that comes with what he is doing at the club.
“Normally, youngsters tend to relax when they get the success that Bill is getting at the moment.
“We hope that he can keep himself hungry so that he can keep progressing like what he is doing.”
Online Reporter