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Chiweshe’s crocodile tears
By Tawanda Murerekwa
THE events at Raylton on Tuesday, where Elvis Chiweshe broke down in tears after Dynamos players boycotted training, made interesting reading.
The tears will certainly be interpreted in different ways by different people — who read The Herald’s coverage of the events — across a country that will always be fascinated by what happens at the Glamour Boys.
Some will sympathise with Chiweshe, and they have the right to feel that way, because the article gave a graphic description of a coach who is an unfortunate victim, and is battling all sorts of demons associated with a turbulent club like Dynamos.
Others will ignore him because they have probably seen it all before.
Some, like me, have chosen to dismiss Chuchu’s crocodile tears as another useless piece of acting by a coach who certainly doesn’t deserve my sympathy.
Because, as far as I am concerned, Chiweshe has also become a big part of the problems that are rocking Dynamos Football Club.
And I should know, having been part of this club all my life as a fan, and recently, as its secretary-general.
Problems are always bound to erupt at Dynamos because the club is an active volcano that is waiting to erupt now and again.
After a string of poor results last year we decided, as an executive, to part ways with David Mandigora and his technical team.
One of the issues that eventually led to my sacking from Dynamos was that l had unilaterally appointed a new technical team.
Yes, I had played a very big part in Chiweshe’s appointment but it’s not true that it was my sole decision.
In our executive meetings l was always asked many times to invite Chuchu to advise us on the technical part of the game. I was impressed. So were others.
This was a bold decision on our part.
Most of the supporters did not give Elvis a chance.
But his start was magnificent and in nine games he picked maximum points.
However, that was the beginning of trouble for, suddenly, the man became a loose cannon and became untouchable.
I was called to the training ground the day my suspension was being reviewed and I had to explain to the players how l had handled the signing-on fees of the current players and transfer fees for new players.
The information is supposed to be private and confidential but to my horror it was to the point.
Chuchu was reading the contract contents to the players.
Although all over the world, footballers’ salaries are open for public scrutiny, this was new to Zimbabwe.
Imagine a company’s payroll being displayed on the company notice boards.
In the professional leagues overseas, players accept that a player can earn more than the other. Not at Dynamos and I don’t know about the other clubs.
Senior players went wild and I was openly abused.
Murape Murape told me that the players were not happy that I wanted to divide them by paying more to new guys and less to the current players.
He used precise Shona words, " Vakomana havachakudai and musauye kuno zvakare".
I accepted the position of the players and left.
Deep down I knew I had done a lot not only to them but to the club and only time would tell.
It was not their problem but this was club politics at play.
Chiweshe was the driver of the agenda for my sacking and he was working with someone in the wings.
When l left DeMbare we were leading the Premiership table with nine points and had two games in hand over second placed Gunners.
Somehow we ended second, in the final analysis, five points behind Gunners.
We lost 32 points, which is as good as losing 11 games on the trot, and Gunners FC were winning just about every game. Very poor indeed.
The cause of this position is well known and well documented.
There was a fight within the executive between the chairman and the secretary-general.
And the same words that were used by Murape, when I was ousted, were used when the time came to kick out the then club chairman Partson Moyo.
Only that, this time, it wasn’t Murape who said those words but newboy Guthrie Zhokinyi.
It’s like we were in a race with Gunners starting in Zambia with the team that gets to Harare Kopje first winning the big prize.
Now, when the two teams reached Chirundu at the same time, Cuthbert Chitima and his assistants instructed their side to complete all immigration and customs requirements before proceeding with their race to Harare.
At the same time the DeMbare players, who were without a leader since Moyo had been deposed in a coup, were instructed by their leaders to jump the border, plunge into the Zambezi River and take a short cut through Mana Pools on foot because immigration and customs formalities took too much time.
Unfortunately the few who survived the crocodile attacks in the Zambezi were mauled by lions in the Mana Pools park and DeMbare never got to Harare.
Today, the Gunners’ flag is still flying high and can be seen from as far as Tanzania and, in the next few weeks, it will be Cairo in Egypt.
By the start of January 2009 l had finished buying most of our targets save for Phillip Marufu and Cuthbert Malajila, who were in Cote d’Ivoire, for the CHAN tournament.
This was a remarkable achievement on my part but it was not easy.
I wanted to sign Shabanie’s defender Douglas Walaza and I heard that CAPS United were also interested.
I left Harare early in the morning and thought I had arrived in Zvishavane first.
To my surprise Farai Jere, the CAPS United Operations Director, had arrived earlier.
In fact he arrived in Zvishavane at 6am and I arrived at 12 midday.
We have a crucial game in two weeks time against FC Lupopo and, as far as I am concerned, Chiweshe does not have a team.
Some of the players registered to play in Africa are still to be secured.
You applied for this situation Elvis.
There are reports now that the players have passed a vote of no confidence in club secretary-general Stan Kasukuwere.
This all sounds very familiar Elvis.
Do not blame the players because I believe you have turned them into the machines that they are today who can challenge authority.
When the same players were challenging my authority, with your blessing, you didn’t cry or see the precedent that was being set because you supported them.
You didn’t know, as some of us did then, that one day it will come back to haunt you.
What is clear is that you are trying to use The Herald to influence the supporters to sympathise with you when the team does not perform on the pitch.
It is very unfortunate that the whole story is not being told, as fully as we would want it to be told.
I do not know what Reuben Mhlanga texted to you.
But, in Shona, they say "Didingwe rinonaka richakweva rimwe asi kana iro rokwevewa unonzwa roti mavara angu azara ivhu."
My heart bleeds for my beloved Dynamos and I sincerely sympathise with the sponsors.
Tawanda Murerekwa is a life-long Dynamos fan who served as the club’s secretary-general before being ousted in a boardroom coup.
He can be contacted at tmurerekwa@gmail.com
l Dynamos players, who boycotted training on Tuesday over unpaid salaries, returned to training the following day. |
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