Dembare boss reads riot act

Beleaguered Harare football giants Dynamos chairman Isaiah Mupfurutsa has described the club's season as embarrassing as the team languishes a mere three points above the relegation zone, just eight matches before the end of the season.

While apologising to the club's sponsors as well as supporters on the horror season, Mupfurutsa, in an exclusive interview with Standardsport, hinted on a major overhaul at the club in the upcoming season.

The overhaul could affect the coaches and a number of players below Dynamos "quality" as the new executive seeks to bring back the glory days to the Glamour Boys.

"It has been an embarrassing season by Dynamos' standards and I would want to apologise to the Dynamos fans and sponsors who have endured the embarrassment," Mupfurutsa said.

"We have embarrassed by the team's performance to be fighting relegation at this stage. We have embarrassed by the way we handled the [Christian] Epoupa issue, among many other issues as a club.

"It's not in the culture of Dynamos to fight relegation. We are the most successful club in the country and we should be fighting for honours every year. It's not even normal to go four league seasons without a title as we have done.

"But our fans deserve special mention because they have shown a level of maturity as well as undying love and loyalty to the club despite a poor season," he added.

Mupfurutsa and his executive were ushered into office in June to rescue the club's faltering season replacing the one led by Keni Mubayiwa, but results have not changed much.

Interestingly, Dynamos have lost twice since the new executive came in, but have struggled to win games and are hovering precariously just above the relegation zone.

After losing to Highlanders at Barbourfields last week and a lifeless home draw against Chapungu on Thursday, echoes of Dynamos' possible relegation this season have grown louder.

"It has not been a good season, but I want to assure the Dynamos family that we are not going to be relegated. We are going to rise up the ladder, we just need a few wins because if you look at it, there are just 12 points between fourth place and us in 12th.

"Let's forget about challenging for the league title now, but our focus is now on lifting the Chibuku Cup and that is a realistic target. We have already been planning for next season and we have to seriously look at how we do some things in the running of the club," he said.

Mupfurutsa was quick to defend the new executive, which is only three months into its tenure.

"But I can assure you that as the executive we have given the technical team and the players adequate support and created an environment conducive enough for them to be challenging for honours.

"We are puzzled at why the results are not coming, but I think not all the players we have are Dynamos quality and we are just waiting for the new season to bring in quality players," he said.

The Dynamos chairperson also suggested that the club leadership could be losing patience with Lloyd Mutasa and his technical team.

"We came in when the team was struggling in June and we wanted to bring stability and allow the coaches and players to have no distraction in executing their duties and I think we have lived up to that. Mutasa got an assistant of his choice and the registered players are all his choices.

"We brought Brett Amidu, Denver Mukamba and Kingston Nkhatha at his request during the mid-season window. But we could not deliver Farai Mupasiri and David Temwajira since they had been taken by the time he notified us.

"We have tried our best, but the results are still not coming. maybe we need new blood going into the new year and would want the coaches to identify new talent. The current team cannot complain because their salaries are up to date and the winning bonuses we owe them do not warrant that they drop performance.

"There is a lack of determination in the team. We are not happy, but it is the responsibility of the technical team because we have allowed them to work on bringing results without any interference," Mupfurutsa said.

Dynamos play Harare City this afternoon and a defeat could draw them closer to the drop zone.