Chihoro, Murape back at Dembare

LONG-serving team manager Richard Chihoro and assistant coach Murape Murape are expected to bounce at Dynamos today following a flurry of diplomatic manoeuvres at the volatile Premier Soccer League giants yesterday.

Club legend Murape, a second assistant to suspended coach Herbert Maruwa and Chihoro had been facing disciplinary action amid some damning allegations levelled against them by the Dynamos executive.

In a week in which the soap opera at Dynamos has taken some twists and turns, it emerged last night that the proposed disciplinary action on the pair of Murape and Chihoro will now be shelved with the club's board of directors, the highest decision-making body at DeMbare preferring to have a peace deal.

The Dynamos board led by Bernard Marriot-Lusengo is now expected to facilitate an indaba where the club executive committee and the technical department pair of Murape and Chihoro will smoke the peace pipe.

Dynamos patron Webster Shamu is also understood to favour a scenario where "club matters are resolved in-house through dialogue and away from the public glare''.

Just like Shamu, board chairman Marriot is understood to have expressed his dismay at the manner in which the Dynamos saga has exploded and its negative impact on the former champions image.

For a club that turned 60 this year, Dynamos have this week been but a circus and a far cry from a club with a proud history of being the most successful football institution in the country.

Neither Chihoro nor Murape was at liberty to discuss the issue of their scheduled hearing and the efforts being made by the club's chiefs to find an amicable solution.

Chihoro prophesied ignorance about his reinstatement and claimed he was preparing for his disciplinary hearing next week.

"I can't say much but all I can confirm is I am set to undergo a disciplinary hearing next week which I will attend,'' said Chihoro.

Murape, who has reportedly been taken aback by some of the charges levelled against him which he believes are a calculated move to smear his name, declined to speak on the DeMbare issues.

Sources close to the Dynamos saga also indicated that both Chihoro and Murape have already apologised to the executive committee but are expected to formally express their remorse for any conduct on their part, which may be deemed to have brought the name of the club, its image and that of the sponsors into disrepute.

Chihoro is being charged with gross insubordination, alleged extortion, gross incompetence, and bringing the club and its stakeholders into disrepute.

Former Dynamos captain Murape faces allegations of gross insubordination, disruptive and disorderly conduct, violent conduct and allegedly taking substances before and after training sessions.

While Chihoro and Murape are certain to bounce back, it was not immediately clear what would become of Maruwa fate.

The coach had first been fired for allegedly failing to meet the targets set for him before Dynamos announced he had now been suspended without pay.

He has also since engaged the Footballers Union of Zimbabwe with a view to having the labour body ensure he is not given a raw deal by Dynamos.

Although the agenda of the meeting between the board, the executive and the technical crew was not made public, the sources added that it was to ensure everybody resumes on the same path at the end of the indaba.

"The idea to bring the whole house at once is trying to find common ground between all club members.

"The problem is that this issue had divided opinions in the matter it was handled and above all the allegations impacted badly on the image of the club.

"So members of the executive want them to go and clear themselves at a disciplinary hearing.

"The board on their part want some degree of professionalism in the way the Dynamos business is handled on and off the pitch,'' the sources said.