Latest News Editor's Choice


Sports / Soccer

Desmond 'Gazza' Maringwa omitted from the Dembare squad

by Sports reporter
08 Jan 2013 at 09:06hrs | Views
Dynamos' romance with their most loyal and famous son, Desmond "Gazza" Maringwa, has come to an end after the midfielder was omitted from the club's 25-member squad registered for the upcoming domestic season.

Maringwa, a veteran of many battles for the Glamour Boys, has not played for any other team apart from Dynamos since graduating from the junior ranks. He went on to serve the club for more than 15 years.

Maringwa was first omitted from the team last year and did not play until the second half of the season with the Dynamos technical bench headed by coach Calisto Pasuwa indicating that they no longer had plans for the veteran midfielder.

 The 35-year-old was then registered during the mid-season transfer window and played an important role in the Glamour Boys' successful defence of their league and cup double in the few games he was involved.

Dynamos vice-chairman and acting secretary general, Webster Chikengezha, said the technical team have indicated that Maringwa is no longer in their plans for the upcoming season and the club is set to deliberate on which role their most illustrious son could assume.

Maringwa, alongside David Kutyauripo, George Magariro and Wonder Sithole are some of the veteran players that were initially left out of the club's 2013 African Champions League squad, which has ultimately become the club's squad for the domestic campaign.

"The technical team have submitted players we registered with Caf and they are the ones who will be playing in the local Premiership," said Chikengezha.

"Unfortunately for Maringwa, the coaches have indicated they no longer have plans for him and he has since been told, but we will see as the executive if we can find him a role within the club.

"We are not sure yet about his future because we are currently working on finalising the squad then other things would follow. We will make an announcement when the right time comes," added Chikengezha.

Maringwa was voted De Mbare's Most Loyal Player at last year's end-of-season club awards.

It is not clear if the club will stage a testimonial match for one of their most trusted sons, a one-club man who played his heart out for the Glamour Boys his whole career.

So committed to the Dynamos cause was Maringwa that on the occasion, when he was left in the cold last year, he never stopped training with his favourite club.

The club, in recognition of his contribution, made Maringwa a ceremonial "club captain", meaning that he was the overall leader of the squad even when he was not on the pitch. A "team captain," like Tawanda Muparati last season, would lead the side on the pitch.

And apart from countless league title winners' medals with Dynamos, Maringwa is proud to have been part of the De-Mbare squad that reached the final of the Champions League in 1998.

Maringwa also led Dynamos to the mini-league stage of the Champions League in 1999, and later the semi-finals of the same competition in 2008.

A brilliant and promising youngster, Maringwa's potential move to in Europe was hampered by a serious injury aggravated while training with the Zimbabwe national team.

Dynamos were however lucky to have him as his midfield control, pin point passes and reading of the game contributed greatly to the success that DeMbare are known for today, not only in Africa but the world over.

 Maringwa is the current president of Footballers Union of Zimbabwe (Fuz), a body which represent players on different issues and they report to their mother body, the International Federation of Professional Footballers (FIFPro).

 Fuz is currently working on finding ways to defend players implicated in the Asiagate match-fixing scandal. 

Source - daily news