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Charles Mabika Sports Correspondent
WHEN David “Yogi” Mandigora ended Dynamos’ 10-year wait for the Premiership title in 2007, he joined an illustrious array of mentors who had led the country’s most successful side to glory since its formation back in 1963.Great names like Morrison Sifelani (late), Bob Lines, Shadreck Ngwenya, Shaw Handriade (late), Shepherd Murape, Trevor Carelse, Sunday Chidzambwa and more recently, Callisto Pasuwa, will forever be cherished by the Blue and White Army’s supporters for capturing local football’s biggest prize during their coaching stints at the club.
And “Yogi” joined these exponents on the winners’ podium when he struck gold in 2007. He would go on to achieve further greatness when he guided the team to the semi-finals of the African Champions League a year later.
The former midfield workhorse, who won the Soccer Star of the Year award in 1980, is back at the helm of De- Mbare’s technical team.
Following “Yogi’s” appointment after history-making gaffer, Pasuwa, decided to end his three-and-a-half year tenure at the turbulent club, there have been some thundering voices of disapproval.
Some of the clubs’ fans are doubting whether Mandigora can also go on to win four consecutive titles and emulate “Manabhunu”. Some are farther claiming that “Yogi” has been out of touch for a long period hence he will fail to win a single match in his first five assignments!
My good friend, Bothwell Mahlengwe, in his Friday column in last week’s Herald, suggested that Mandigora could turn out to be another David Moyes!
I beg to differ with all the above theories.
First of all, who said that Dynamos’ president, Kenny Mubaiwa, and his executive committee have instructed “Yogi” to win four consecutive league titles?
Chances are strong that Pasuwa’s amazing achievements will never be equalled by any other local coach ever.
More of “Yogi’s” critics are saying that what he achieved in 2007-8 is now water under the bridge!
Really? I thought that in our daily lives, our track records are the reasons why we get national recognition and sometimes get rewarded in cash or kind!
Of course, Mandigora knows that Pasuwa’s shoes are too big to fill. He (Mandigora) has even admitted that but has vowed to do his best to keep the club that he joined at the tender age of 14.
During his eight-year “absence”, Mandigora was still involved in the club’s on and off-the-field structures, both as the club’s vice-chairman and head of the junior coaching department.
So what absence are these critics talking about?
And if you look at the set-up that was unveiled by the club’s secretary-general, Webster Chikengezha, just a fortnight ago, where Mandigora will be assisted by the club’s products — Tonderai “Stanza” Ndiraya, Biggie “Bindura Part 1” Zuze, Gift “Umbro” Muzadzi and manager Richard “Nyoka” Chihoro, you can slowly start believing that this is one of the strongest technical benches of this season.
And when Mandigora talks about Dynamos, he delivers the sermon with the authenticated solitude of a queen bee’s allegiance to its honeycomb.
I’m sure he really gave the decision to have a second crack at the Dynamos job tremendous and careful thought before he handed in his application.
Mandigora also realises that his club’s millions of fans will not even want to think of discarding their dominant and colourful robes and hand them over to their vicious and permanent enemies — CAPS United and Highlanders! Oh, you can bet your last dollar he knows that!
He also fervently realises that unlike in 2007-8, when he had the creative hubs of ingenuity from the duo of “Chief Justice” Majabvi and Edward “Dhudhuza” Sadomba in those sparkling two seasons, he will have to discover new ammunition following the departure of midfield dynamo, Ronald “Rooney” Chitiyo.
When “Yogi” took over from the Dynamos evergreen favourite, Moses “Bambo” Chunga, as head coach at the start of the 2007 season, there were many who doubted his capabilities. Two years later, those doubting Thomases were put to shame.
And now, those prophets of doom are back again, ready to inscribe Mandigora’s epitaph on his tombstone.
I strongly believe that they will be sent packing once again — with their tails between their legs — by Mandigora and his lieutenants into the forest to await another wishful and disastrous set of events.
Online Reporter