Callisto Pasuwa back in DeMbare trenches

By Eddie Chikamhi

HARARE giants Dynamos are hoping for better preparations for next year’s Champions League campaign to make up for a poor tournament this year in which they plunged to their heaviest defeat in the competition.

DeMbare will take another shot on the premier continental inter-club football competition following a magnificent run in the domestic competition in which they retained the league championship and the Mbada Diamonds Cup.

Dynamos coach Callisto Pasuwa, who led the club on the continent for the first time this year in a failed attempt, yesterday insisted on a solid preparation if they hope to turn things around in 2013.

Pasuwa learnt hard lessons after suffering the double heartbreak of failing to make the mini-league stages of both the Champions League and the Confederation Cup.

But behind the misery there was a general feeling that the Glamour Boys, who had a number of novices, were not adequately prepared and Pasuwa yesterday hinted that if the current DeMbare side were to enhance their chances for next season they need a strong working plan.

“We have learnt our lessons from this year’s competition. One major lesson is that you don’t just go there and expect results when you have not carefully prepared for it.

“So we are saying this time around we don’t want to appear to be caught unawares. We need a strong preparation but unfortunately everything hinges on the issues of funding,” said Pasuwa.

“It’s complex. Right now I cannot promise anything in the next tournament because it all depends on how we are going to prepare.

“But I think it will be better if we can arrange some international friendlies, pre-season camping and gym facilities because these players need to be physically fit in order to play in Africa. The African experience also requires the players to have a strong mental resolve and a tough fighting spirit because there are no friends when it comes to continental football. We should be prepared in all aspects,” said Pasuwa.

DeMbare, who went as far as the Confederation Cup play-offs after being relegated from the Champions League by eventual runners-up Esperance of Tunisia, are looking to build a strong squad capable of competing against the best teams in Africa.

Pasuwa indicated that the technical team will release some of the players in the current squad and beef up such areas as the central defence, attacking and central midfield.

DeMbare are also in search of a new goalkeeper to act as cover and provide stiffer competition to George Chigova. Dynamos secretary-general Raymond Kazembe yesterday said the club’s executive is currently negotiating with players whose contracts are set to run out at the end of the year.

About 12 players who include David Kutyauripo, Thomas Magorimbo, Milton Makopa, Tichaona Mabvura, Tawanda Muparati, Denver Mukamba, Devon Chafa, Martin Vengesai, and captain Desmond Maringwa are coming to the end of their contracts on December 31.

Kazembe concurred with Pasuwa’s sentiments that the Harare giants were not adequately prepared for the 2012 edition and pledged the management’s support to bring in new players and helping to arrange a worthwhile pre-season build-up.

“We want to do it differently this time around. We would like to have the best preparation any team in our position can hope for. But we are always held back by the unavailability of resources. Right now we are in the off-season and it’s always tricky to boost our coffers during this period because there are no matches to generate the income. That’s the unfortunate part.

“All the same, we are keeping our fingers crossed that our sponsors and other corporate bodies that would want to support us will come through. We haven’t spoken to anyone yet but we remain hopeful.

“In the meantime the technical staff is working on their programme and I hope we should have it in our hands by the end of the week. They will tell us how they want to do it because we can only stand guided by their proposals. All we need to do as the executive is to make sure that we provide for their needs,” said Kazembe. The Herald