Dynamos can rise again, says Sweswe

FC PLATINUM stand-in coach Lizwe Sweswe says he won’t be fooled by Dynamos’ poor start to the campaign and believes the struggling Glamour Boys can have a say in the destiny of the league championship.

Sweswe has done well as he holds fort for Norman Mapeza, who is recovering from surgery and says DeMbare can never be dismissed from the equation.

“Dynamos seem to be struggling, but I tell you they have the character to rise from the dead and launch an onslaught to the honours,’’ he said.

“They boast of one of the best coaches in the land, Lloyd Mutasa, and the players are fantastic.

“I know they will rise and when they just win three in a row, they automatically become a big threat. But we are the champions and our target is to defend the Premiership crown.’’

He also said Harare City were also good enough to fight for honours this season despite his men beating them 3-1 in a Castle Lager Premiership battle at Mandava on Saturday.

Mkhokeli Dube, Rodwell Chinyengetere and Edwin Madhananga were on target for the champions while Raymond Uchena got Harare City’s consolation.

“Our toughest opponents were always going to be Harare City because we knew they basically play the same type of football as us,” said Sweswe.

“I am happy we managed to beat them, but it was very tough. They matched us in all departments and it took us some extraordinary magic to break them.

“They are playing a beautiful brand of football, they are actually one of the best teams in the Premiership. They don’t have any pressure and they express themselves fully. I have seen them play over the years, but l think their current squad can be bad news to any opponent.’’

Sweswe said the team even have a good chance of landing the crown.

“With a good coach in Mark Harrison and with the players showing they have mastered their coach’s philosophy, I honestly believe they have what it takes to gun for the title.

“In fact, they are as good as those teams who are leading the race. They have an added advantage of less pressure and are one of the dark horses in the marathon. I think they will soon be in the leaderboard mix if they maintain their form.”

Sweswe reckons Harare City, Ngezi Platinum Stars and Chicken Inn and Dynamos pose the biggest threat to his team’s bid to retain the Premiership title.

“I think Chicken Inn, Harare City, Ngezi Platinum, along with Dynamos, have the potential to give us stiff competition,’’ said Sweswe. “We have good players who know how to win games even those which appear to be difficult like the one we played against Harare City (on Saturday).

“But, the marathon is long, anything can happen, even those teams no one is giving a chance right now can still mount a challenge.’’

in search of those three points and I am sure it’s just a matter of time before we break the duck,’’ Mutasa said on Sunday.

“Look at the creativity, the chances that came our way and the conversion rate is not directly proportional.

“It’s an area that’s still work in progress but, at least, we are happy that we managed to score a goal. You can only, but think of scoring two or three going forward after scoring this single goal.’’

Come on Lloyd, have you forgotten that you scored three goals in

just one match, not so long ago, and then found a way to share the points with Shabanie who came back to force a draw in that game?

The painful reality, which probably should be accepted right now, is that there is simply too much dead wood in this Dynamos side and players, who probably would never have been allowed to come close to the club’s training ground when the likes of Memory Mucherahowa and his crew were wearing these iconic colours, have somehow been smuggled into the first team.

That’s the best, or is it the worst,

which DeMbare can get these days.

And they just need to look at the team which is joint top of the table, Ngezi Platinum, to be reminded of the talent that could have been in their ranks today had these Glamour Boys been the club that they used to be in the past.

From the coach Tonderai Ndiraya and much of his backroom staff to the players who are fueling the Ngezi Platinum charge for honours, there is DeMbare feel to the personnel at Ngezi Platinum.

Some left in frustration, because the Glamour Boys have become

ordinary, others were pushed out, for reasons no one knows, while others refused to live the lie that they were still playing for the country’s finest side when what has been left is a shell of what used to be a giant.

And, then, you have a leadership and a technical crew who are living in denial and preaching a gospel that things will get better, fooling everyone that this is typical with DeMbare, that the Glamour Boys are traditional slow starters and things will get better.

Even, when it’s very clear, things

are getting worse.

The fans have deserted them and they can only watch from a distance while thousands are coming back to Barbourfields to cheer a resurgent Bosso and getting value for money, including a contender for Goal of the Season, which was scored by Brian Banda in the derby against Chicken Inn on Sunday.

A flick gave the ball the lift it needed and the connection, from outside the box, was perfect — producing a volley of such purity it flew into the top corner it would have beaten some of the best goalkeepers in the world.

That’s what fans pay their money for, even when their team, as was the case at Barbourfields on Sunday, doesn’t end up winning the game. Sadly, those moments like the ones which illuminated Barbourfields on Sunday, have become rare commodities at Rufaro when Dynamos, or this effigy of what used to be the Glamour Boys, is being paraded this season.

Something will have to give because it simply can’t go on like this. And everyone at the club knows that.