UNDER-fire Portuguese coach Paulo Jorge Silva and his technical team could be jobless at the final whistle of their must-win match against newcomers Mutare City, at Sakubva Stadium this afternoon.
BY MICHAEL KARIATI/MUNYARADZI MADZOKERE
The Glamour Boys season has not gone according to plan and the leadership, which has already started accepting CVs for Silva’s not-yet-vacant post, has voiced regret for snubbing former coach Tonderai Ndiraya in favour of the incumbent.
Ndiraya took over from David Mandigora halfway through the season last year and led DeMbare to a second place finish in the league, a place in the final of the Chibuku Super Cup — as well as a berth in the semifinals of the NetOne Cup.
Dynamos president Keni Mubaiwa said it was a big blunder on the part of the club’s leadership not to give Ndiraya the job.
“We made a big mistake to fire the boy. To me, he did a commendable job, but mistakes are common. That is why we are trying to correct things right now,” Mubaiwa said.
Silva, who has refused to speak to the print media lately, was given an ultimatum to collect nine points from the next three matches or face the chop, along with his assistants.
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This means, should Dynamos draw or lose their game against Mutare City Rovers today, Silva and Lloyd Mutasa’s association with the 1998 CAF Champions League finalists would effectively come to an end.
The Harare giants are believed to have received at least eight CVs from foreign and local aspirants for the hot seat, but Ndiraya lurks as odds-on favourite to land the job if Dynamos fails to collect maximum points today.
“The boy is our son and we can call on him anytime we want. To me, he is a very good coach and I would love to have him back and help us win the league championship this season,” revealed the Dynamos boss.
“We were supposed to have kept him and given him more time. He did a good job and we made a big blunder by firing him. Such things happen in football and we need to rectify that mistake and move forward,” added Mubaiwa.
Should they survive today, Dynamos and Silva have a sterner test coming their way against the Green Machine in their next game before they travel to face bogey side Hwange at the Colliery to round up the three games of Silva’s “win all” ultimatum.
“We have given the coaches an ultimatum to collect nine points in their next three games. If they fail, then they would have fired themselves. At Dynamos, we have a tradition. Coaches who fail to deliver, we fire,” said Mubaiwa.
Only last season, Dynamos let go David Mandigora and Ndiraya, although critics still argue that Mandigora had done well for the club after taking over from Kalisto Pasuwa who had won four consecutive league titles before his departure after a fallout with the club leadership.
Although the club’s supporters initially voiced their support for Silva, saying he was being sabotaged, they turned against the Portuguese coach after Dynamos’ poor run in the Independence Trophy where they lost 1-0 to Chicken Inn and 2-0 to FC Platinum.
The 1998 CAF Champions League finalists are in depths of despair with only one point from two matches, while they are also yet to find the back of the net this season.
Apart from losing both their Independence Trophy matches, Dynamos were also eliminated early from the Zimbabwe National Army Charities Shield.
DeMbare need to recover quickly as they are also falling way behind the leading pack, especially against on-fire defending champions Chicken Inn who so far have proved that they would once again be the team to beat this season.
According to Dynamos manager Richard Chihoro, the former champions left for Mutare yesterday with a clean bill of health. Misfits from the Uhuru Cup semifinal Farai Mupasiri and Walter Mukanga also made the trip. After letting striker Takesure Chinyama go, the Dynamos frontline is yet to score a single goal in two league matches.
Debutants Mutare City will be looking for their first victory in the top flight league after losing their two opening matches.
Facing a Dynamos side currently mired in chaos at home should inspire them to get their first point on the board.
Castle Lager Premier Soccer League Fixtures:
Today: Triangle v Border Strikers (Gibbo Stadium), Tsholotsho v Highlanders (Barbourfields Stadium), CAPS United v Harare City (National Sports Stadium), Mutare City Rovers v Dynamos (Sakubva Stadium), Hwange v Ngezi Platinum Stars (Colliery Stadium)
