Pasuwa axes Ndiraya

Petros Kausiyo Deputy Sports Editor
DYNAMOS coach Callisto Pasuwa has fired his assistant Tonderai Ndiraya amid stunning revelations that relations between the two had irretrievably broken down.
Pasuwa resolved at the end of a Dynamos technical meeting at their Zimphos training ground on Monday that he could no longer continue to work with Ndiraya in the champions’ dressing room, with the coach reportedly feeling grossly undermined by his number two man.
The two-time championship winning coach then advised the Dynamos executive — through club chairman Kenny Mubaiwa yesterday — of his decision and indicated that it was with immediate effect.

Despite taking the drastic action, Pasuwa was, however, “still human’’ and strongly recommended that Ndiraya be reassigned to the club’s other structures such as the juniors in view of the fact that the former Dynamos midfielder was a family man.
It is the second time that Ndiraya has been fired from the post of Dynamos assistant coach.

Ndiraya was the number two man to Elvis “Chuchu’’ Chiweshe in 2009, before the two later fell out and the coach then hired former DeMbare winger Simon Chuma as a replacement.

Just like Chiweshe before him, it is understood that relations between Pasuwa and Ndiraya broke down following allegations of mistrust and the belief that “the coach felt undermined and sabotaged’’.

Pasuwa said although the Dynamos executive had tasked him to choose his own assistants, he had resolved to retain the backroom staff which includes Tichaona Diya and team manager Richard Chihoro, which was already in place when he took over.

But — in advising the club of his decision — Pasuwa said he had noted that the breakdown of his relationship with Ndiraya could affect the club alleging that there had already been some incidents of unrest among the players.

“I am writing this letter expressing my dissatisfaction and unhappiness with the conduct and attitude of the assistant coach Mr Ndiraya,” wrote Pasuwa in a letter.
“As the head coach, I feel we have reached a point where I no longer trust Mr Ndiraya as my assistant and would like to recommend that he be relieved of his duties or be placed somewhere within the club’s structures.

“I strongly recommend the later as he has a family to feed and would have to be given enough time to settle and adjust to the decision while he is earning a living within the club’s structures.”

Pasuwa also accused Ndiraya of not being appreciative of his decision to take him on board when the club management had asked him to bring on-board new assistants.

“I would like to go back to the time when I was appointed and asked to bring in my own assistants. I refused, opting to work with him but clearly I can see that Mr Ndiraya did not appreciate my gesture and gratitude towards him,” wrote Pasuwa.

“There have been a lot of stories emanating from the technical team, through Mr Ndiraya, and this has resulted in the unrest of the players and I don’t want this to affect the club.

“Therefore, I humbly request that he be moved to other structures within the club.”
With Pasuwa still engaged in Warriors commitments, at least for the better part of this week and with Dynamos inactive due to the national team’s African Nations Championships qualifier against Zambia, the coach could not immediately name a replacement for Ndiraya. Pasuwa has however, asked Chihoro to double up as team manager and assistant working together with former DeMbare goalkeeper Diya.

Chihoro was one of two assistants with David George as the pair formed the core of David Mandigora’s backroom staff when the current Dynamos vice-chairman guided the Harare giants to a League and Cup double in 2007 and during their fairytale Champions League run in which they reached the semi-finals of the 2008 tournament.

Mubaiwa claimed that he was still to have sight of Pasuwa’s letter, but indicated that his executive would back the coach’s decision.
“I have heard some people telling me that Ndiraya has said that he has resigned and the coach told me that he had sent a letter to my office on the issue of his working relationship with his assistant, but I don’t have an official letter from either of them at the moment.

“I have not been in office for the better part of the day and I am sure the letter or letters have been left there but I think we will also call an urgent meeting to discuss the matter and its impact on the team, whether it will affect us or not.

“But the coach is the head of the technical department and he knows what is best for him and who he trusts to work with that is why we have always said that he is free to choose his own assistants and we will support whatever decision he makes,’’ Mubaiwa said.

Ndiraya could not be reached for comment despite repeated efforts to contact him.
Mubaiwa, however, appeared to cast some doubt over Pasuwa’s recommendation that Ndiraya should at least be re assigned to the development teams structures.
Ironically, Ndiraya rose from the club’s development structures to become an assistant in the first team set-up.

“Our juniors are a very delicate group that needs to be groomed very well for graduation into the senior team and thus the coaches who handle those juniors need to be trusted lieutenants of the head coach so it might be tricky to say someone who has been fired from the first team must take charge of the juniors,’’ Mubaiwa said.
It is, however, not the first time that there has been friction and suspicion between Pasuwa and Ndiraya.

Earlier this season when Dynamos got off to a slow start and struggled to win in their opening six games, there had been indications that Pasuwa was facing the axe with Ndiraya being primed to take over as coach on an interim basis, while the club considered a possible appointment of Zambian Keegan Mumba as head coach.