Harrison rules out DeMbare
HARARE City coach Mark Harrison says Dynamos should forget about winning this year’s league title after they crashed to their fifth defeat at Rufaro on Sunday.
Dynamos have lost half the matches they have played in the opening 10 games of the season and slumped to a 1-2 defeat at the hands of the Sunshine Boys.
Bottom club Mutare City yesterday also called for a crisis meeting to discuss the team’s run of poor results under Joseph Takaringofa.
“It’s not for me really to talk about them, I don’t really want to pass a comment on them. As I said before, I thought they played into our hands a little bit in the last 15-20 minutes.
“I am sure they will get themselves sorted out, but they are not going to win the league, that’s for sure. They lost too many games already. Anyway, it’s all up to them,” said Harrison.
Harare City moved into sixth place with 17 points.
“Our performance has been good. We came into the league two weeks, three weeks before kick-off and our expectations are about staying in the league. We have 17 points now, we still got another 23 to get to 40.
“When we get to 40 certainly we are going to look at what we will do next. We are not going to win the league. Make no mistake, we are not going to win it.
“If we are in the top eight, I think we would have had a good season. That’s it, no pressure on me and no pressure in the players. We always want to go out and develop as a football team,” said Harrison.
Dynamos secretary-general, Webster Marechera, last night hinted at a review meeting being held either today or tomorrow where the fate of coach Lloyd Mutasa will be discussed.
“We are still to meet to review the situation between tomorrow (today) and Wednesday, but for now there is nothing that has happened and the team is now focussing on preparing for the away game to Bulawayo Chiefs.
“As soon as there have been developments we will advise the nation, but for now we hope to continue working on rectifying our mistakes and hopefully, we will go to Bulawayo Chiefs and do better,’’ said Marechera.
It has also emerged that Mutasa could yet continue in charge as Dynamos have not found a suitable replacement.
“There had been hope by the club management that by the time they finished the third game of Lloyd’s ultimatum, negotiations with a replacement coach would have been concluded,” said sources.
“But that has not happened and for now Lloyd looks set to continue even after the review.”
Mutasa insisted he is still in control of the ship and professed ignorance of the existence of the three-match ultimatum.
“When we talk of things like an ultimatum — I would want to believe there has to be a document that you can be given to indicate that there is an ultimatum, but for me I am not sure of that.
“You cannot stop people from saying what they want,” said Mutasa.
Dynamos had set themselves an ambitious target to win this year’s championship after finishing second under challenging conditions last season.
But their campaign has so far failed to take off.
Castle Lager fixtures: Saturday: FC Platinum v Triangle United (Mandava), ZPC Kariba v Mutare City Rovers (Nyamhunga), Yadah v Highlanders (NSS), Bulawayo City v Shabanie Mine (Barbourfields), Harare City v Nichrut (Rufaro)
Sunday: CAPS United v Ngezi Platinum Stars (NSS), Chapungu v Chicken Inn (Ascot), Bulawayo Chiefs v Dynamos (Barbourfields, Black Rhinos v Herentals (Rufaro).