By Grace Chingoma
DYNAMOS coach Lloyd Mutasa says they will not read much into problems that have rocked How Mine ahead of their Castle Lager Premiership match at Barbourfields this afternoon.
The Bulawayo side’s players did not train this week, in protest over their wage arrears. The players told our Bulawayo Bureau that they will not fulfil the match unless something is paid into their accounts.
Last night, the How Mine executive could not be reached for comment. This is not the first time that players at the club, which used to be an oasis of financial stability, have gone on strike.
Early this month, they went on strike before they hosted Ngezi Platinum Stars, training for just one day before losing the game 1-2. But Mutasa said he will not read anything into their opponents’ issues.
“We are not even focussing on what is happening in their camp as all that might just be hearsay. We don’t comment on what happens at other clubs, it might be mind games.
“Remember, some of our players are friends with How Mine players and they say they have been preparing for our game. So we are rather safe focusing on our team and our performance against a strong How Mine tomorrow (today),” said Mutasa.
DeMbare will be without influential skipper Ocean Mushure, who has picked three yellow cards, but they will welcome their key players who had been sidelined with injuries. Influential Cameroonian forward Christian Epoupa Ntouba and Cleopas Kapupurika return to the fold.
The duo of defenders Lincoln Zvasiya and Obey Mwerahari has also recovered. “We are happy that some of our players have benefiter from the break to fully recover. We welcome Christian, we welcome Lincoln as well.
“We welcome Quality (Kangadze), we welcome Cleopas and Obey. “They are some of the guys who were down, but are now part and parcel of the team. We have been training hard for this match because we know what they are capable of.
“They beat us (in Harare) and every team that plays us always raise their game and want to beat us because we are Dynamos. “We are looking forward to a good game as we have been playing very well.’’
Mutasa said their destiny was in their hands. “We reckon that at this stage of the season, sometimes you need other results to go your way, but what is important is winning games on our own,’’ he said.
“We are playing catch up and there were some results which went our way at the weekend, but if we can capitalise on that, starting with this game against How Mine, then the better.’’ The Herald
