Last supper for Pasuwa
PASUWA NATIONAL

Callisto Pasuwa

Petros Kausiyo Deputy Sports Editor
THIS appears to be the end of the road for Callisto Pasuwa, with the three-time championship-winning coach set to preside over his swansong Premiership assignment with the Glamour Boys tomorrow at the National Sports Stadium.Dynamos host How Mine before the coach sees off the remainder of the last of his contract with the Harare giants when he takes a crack at a record third Mbada Diamonds Cup title.

Pasuwa’s contract with Dynamos runs out on December 31.

Dynamos, seeking an unprecedented fourth successive league title, take on How Mine in a match which even a victory might not be enough to guarantee them the ultimate prize as they are currently two points behind ZPC Kariba who also have a superior goal difference over them.

ZPC Kariba take on third-placed CAPS United, in what is the pick of the crop of the blockbuster Super Sunday matches, which will bring the curtain down on the 2014 Castle Lager Premiership programme.

It will need ZPC Kariba to slip up, while Dynamos win against How Mine, for DeMbare to rescue the title that slipped from their grasp two weeks ago when Saul Chaminuka’s men handed them a 2-1 defeat at the National Sports Stadium.

But it has emerged that whether DeMbare do a Houdini Act and snatch the title after tomorrow’s final round of matches, the game against How Mine will be Pasuwa’s last league assignment of his glorious four-year reign as Dynamos coach. That will mean Pasuwa would have taken charge of 101 league matches at Dynamos by the time the 2014 championship is decided at the end of the Super Sunday business.

The 43-year-old coach revealed after his team’s training at the National Sports Stadium yesterday that he believed his time at Dynamos was up and said events at the club were also pointing to an executive that is highly unlikely to renew his contract for the 2015 season.

It is against this background that Pasuwa said he would still leave even if Dynamos were to win a fourth championship tomorrow.

“After the league games, we have the Mbada Cup to play for; then I think, maybe, it will be time to look ahead with my career,” said Pasuwa.

“Coaching Dynamos is a relay; there are so many coaches waiting to take over at the club. I think I have worked very well in the last four years and done my part.

“Unfortunately, no one from the executive has talked to me about the future or even about planning for next season and the Champions League in the event that we were to win the league title.

“The only indication I got is that they want to wait and see whether we win the league or not before contract talks can begin and that shows that people have other ideas because I can’t see how you can operate without any planning.

“How can you wait for the championship to be decided to know whether you want a coach or not? So, championship or no championship, I have done my part and I am still eager to win another Mbada Diamonds Cup with Dynamos before I pass on the baton.”

This, however, is not the first time Dynamos and Pasuwa have clashed over the coach’s contract, although sources close to the goings-on at Dynamos believe that a parting of ways is imminent.

But, away from the cloud of uncertainty over his future, the Young Warriors coach took his injury-ravaged side through their paces at the giant stadium yesterday, with the emphasis once again being on the need for the players to concentrate only on their match against How Mine.

Dynamos need to stem a three-match winless streak, which has seen them draw twice against Chapungu and Bantu Rovers and lose to ZPC Kariba, in order to end the season on a winning note.

But the Harare giants will be hamstrung by the absence of 11 players, mainly due to injuries as well as suspensions, absenteeism and bereavement.
Centre-back Augustine Mbara will be missing following the death of his mother during the week, Roderick Mutuma will sit out the game because of suspension, lanky defender Sydney Linyama went AWOL, while Tafadzwa Rusike missed training for as yet unexplained reasons.

Anesu Gondo, Masimba Mambare, Devon Chafa, Stephen Alimenda, Washington Pakamisa, Patrick Khumbula and long-term casualty Clive Kawinga are all injured, leaving Pasuwa with two fit natural strikers — Simba Sithole and Farai Mupasiri.

Congolese Fabrice Mbimba could make his return from injury, but there are doubts over his match fitness.

“We have a group of players that could make a team on the injury list and we are mostly affected in defence and attack, but we have other players who can fill in the gaps and I have told them if they get a chance to play they should prove themselves and secure contract extensions .

“It is not all about myself only, but the players’ careers too,’’ Pasuwa said.

The Bulawayo miners will have to make do without the quartet of Morris Kadzola, Warren Dube, Edmore Muzanenhamo and Lewis Matawu when they battle against Dynamos.

Kadzola is serving a suspension, after accumulating three yellow cards, while the trio of Dube, Muzanenhamo and Matawu has injuries.

How Mine coach Luke Masomere said they were ready for the game.

“Our preparations went well, save for the suspension of Morris Kadzola and injuries to Warren Dube, Lewis Matawu and Edmore Muzanenhamo.
“But we have also been playing without them in some of our games and so it’s not an excuse to say we are not strong. The team is very strong and we are playing Dynamos, who are looking for nothing short of victory and we are ready.

“It’s a tough game. They are looking for three points and we are also fighting for the same. We desperately need the points as well because we want to finish on a high note. It’s going to be tough for both teams.

“When you need something it’s different from when you want something, when you need something you cannot live without it,” said Masomere.

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