Lloyd Mutasa speaks out

FIRED Dynamos coach Lloyd Mutasa says he is not bitter at being shown the exit door, but feels that the club might have made a huge mistake by sacking him as the move might prove costly to the team.

Mutasa and his entire backroom staff were dismissed on Thursday last week for the second time this season, just two days before the team's trip to FC Platinum for a league match.

The Harare giants executive pulled the trigger after a string of poor results by the team. At the time of the sacking, DeMbare were two points off the relegation zone, with seven matches remaining.

He was replaced by Lloyd Chigowe, who is assisted by club legend Murape Murape.

Chigowe's first match in charge, ended in a defeat at Mandava, a loss that saw Dynamos slipping down into the relegation zone and now with a real possibility of getting demoted at the end of the campaign. They have six matches to save their season.

Mutasa said he feels he should have been given a chance to see the team through the remainder of the season.

He believes that he was capable of stirring the ship through the storm.

"I have always indicated that I'm not the judge and I'm a football coach and as such I accept every decision that is taken in my favour or against me by the institution," Mutasa said.

"We were not part of the four and I'm sure the destiny was within us, hence we wanted to get to the finishing line and be judged after the season, but people see things differently and maybe I was the problem, and if so then my moving away will make things good for the institution. This is the institution I love the most and, hence I dedicated all my life to it."

The former Kinglon, Whawha and Highway coach said if the team eventually gets relegated, Chigowe will find an excuse for failing to save the ship.

"You are seven games away, you would want to believe that whoever comes will have some excuse that we took the team when they were at such a level. We thought it was necessary for us to take the team to the last game, take the team away from the relegation zone," Mutasa said.

"The decision as much was influenced by the results which were as they were, but I would want to believe that we were just seven matches away. You look at the psychological part of these youngsters and with new people coming in those matches, one would then not know how they would then make the players to keep focus about the immediate task, but such is life. If the elders can take such as decision, they would have revisited all those aspects and that it would be for the good of the institution."

He feels he was a scapegoat, but the major problems affecting the club had not been addressed. Mutasa hinted sabotage, claiming that there were people from within, who were working against him.

He, however, refused to discuss the problems and name the alleged saboteurs.

"I'm a person who has moved along this journey quite a long time. I have come through such scenarios more often and I'm used to it. You are a coach, one day you are in and the next day you are out. You sacrifice a lot, you give your all, but other people might not see and at times people will see it when you are off it.

"If people like Judas could turn against Jesus Christ, then who am I as Lloyd not to have people who are probably against me around.

"The way I was brought up, I was taught that what is (problems) in the house should remain in-house. I would not want to talk much about the other part and things. It would be for the outside people to see."

Asked if he was bitter, Mutasa said, "I was born and bred in this institution and I owe my life to it so, I accept the decision if it is good for the institution going forward."

Dynamos will need to win at least three of their remaining six games to have a chance of surviving relegation. They are still to play Black Rhinos (home), Herentals (away), Triangle (home), Mutare City (home) and finish the season with an away trip to Nichrut. They still have an outstanding game against city rivals, Caps United.