By Tadious Manyepo
DYNAMOS newboy, Juan Mutudza, has spent most of his time during this lockdown exchanging notes with close friend Tatenda Mukuruva.
The pair grew up together, playing for then Division Two side Budiriro Gunners, before Mukuruva made his name at DeMbare.
The goalkeeper went on to cement his place as the Warriors’ number one goalkeeper for close to two years.
He has since played for South African side Cape Town City and Zambian club Buildcon before moving to the United States where he is attached to Michigan Stars in the third-tier in that country.
Mutudza is five years younger than Mukuruva and was still in his early secondary school years when they played together for their community team, Budiriro Gunners.
While Mukuruva was making waves at the Glamour Boys, Mutudza was taking a leading role in Budiriro Gunners’ failed bid to get promotion into Division One in 2016.
Though lack of sound sponsorship put paid to that dream, Mutudza had done enough to attract the interests of then ZIFA Northern Region Division One side, Herentals.
Mutudza was outstanding for the Kumbirai Mutiwekuziva-coached team last season and was rewarded by a move to Dynamos.
He has been Tonderai Ndiraya’s main man during the pre-season preparations before the start of the 2020 Premiership season was frozen owing to the deadly coronavirus pandemic.
And, Mutudza has been one of those relieved by the delay as he has taken time to take some lessons from Mukuruva.
“Dynamos is different from any other club. I know the pressure associated with playing for that big club,’’ he said.
“It is a challenge which I have decided to take. I am happy, I have been able to use most of my time, during this lockdown, to get some advice from my friend, Tatenda (Mukuruva), who was part of this great institution and made his name here.
“We played together at Budiriro Gunners some time ago. When we were leading, in the promotion race back in 2016, Mukuruva would rarely miss our matches.
“He is one of our own and, naturally, the boys looked up to him for inspiration and motivation.
“To me, he is more than just a friend. He has seen it all with the biggest team in the country and the national team.
“When he speaks, you have to listen to the lines very carefully. He is a great motivator and I have used most of my time during this lockdown period to get some character lectures from him.
“I will apply some of the techniques he has shared with me to fit well into the DeMbare system.”
The highly-rated Mutudza is one of the 13 new players brought by Ndiraya as he bids to see his team redeem themselves after two disappointing seasons.
The Harare giants finished ninth in the league last year and they will be looking to climb back to the top next season.
The former ZPC Kariba pair of Tinotenda Chiunye and Stephen Appiah, ex-Ngezi winger Barnabas Mushunje and Soccer Star of the Year finalist King Nadolo, who was with TelOne last year, are some of the top signings made by Ndiraya.
For the meantime, Dynamos players are training individually at their homes due to the coronavirus lockdown. The Herald