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Petros Kausiyo and Eddie Chikamhi
DYNAMOS coach Callisto Pasuwa remains defiant and claims he is not yet losing sleep over his team’s lacklustre performances, but is happy to see the Premiership champions grinding results while they try to find their rhythm.
A brutal assessment of DeMbare’s showings has revealed a team that has been playing an unattractive brand of football, at times a virtual eyesore but somehow managed to secure three straight narrow wins.

“There is always pressure whenever we play and at times the pressure gets to the players too, but I am happy with the fact that they are managing to get results at a time when we are playing badly.

“I don’t think we will finish the whole lesson playing badly because we have the capacity to pick ourselves up and play much better but we would have been under more pressure if we were playing badly and at the same time losing games,’’ Pasuwa said.

Pasuwa also pointed to a spate of injuries that have stalked his side over the last few months as one of the reasons why Dynamos have struggled to have a regular team and also find their rhythm.

Dynamos have had some of their key players such as Masimba Mambare, Tawanda Muparati, Murape Murape, Devon Chafa, Sydney Linyama, Oscar Machapa and Tafadzwa Rusike dogged by varying injuries that have kept them out of action for long periods.

On Sunday, as they have often done this season, Dynamos struggled for cohesion with midfielder Ronald Chitiyo, the only stand out player and provider of the winner that Tichaona Mabvura grabbed for the hosts against Triangle at the National Sports Stadium.

That victory took them to third on the log standings and just a point behind leaders Highlanders after 10 games but Dynamos’ steady rise on the log table has not done much to mask their dour shows and the overall decline in the domestic Premiership standards.

Dynamos reduced their gate charges to US$2 for the cheapest ticket in a bid to lure more supporters to the National Sports Stadium but the move appeared to make little difference in terms of attendance.

However, club secretary-general Webster Chikengezha, maintained they realised better earnings from the gates compared to their previous home game against FC Platinum.

“We will continue charging minimum US$2 at the gates for some time. I think it is good to reduce the gate charges for all the low-profile games because on Sunday we actually had a bigger crowd compared to our last home game against FC Platinum.

“Our net income was good as well. But we will not charge the same for high-profile games against such teams as Highlanders or CAPS United,” said Chikengezha.

But away from their on-field inconsistencies, Dynamos are planning to improve their revenue streams by countering the illegal sale of the club’s replicas by flooding the market with official merchandise.

The club’s commercial arm has been inactive over the years and the team lost out on the chance to broaden their earnings as they had to rely on gate takings alone.

Chikengezha said they are taking steps to tap into the potential that their brand offers and were lining up huge stocks of flags and other merchandise which can be purchased at low prices.

He also said Dynamos have since slashed the prices of their original Adidas replica jerseys down to US$40 to push for the sales of larger volumes.

“We are worried with the illegal sale of the club’s regalia by unauthorised people and we would want to sell our own replicas for the benefit of the team.

“Unfortunately, some of the people involved in this business are supporters of the club but they are doing so for selfish personal enrichment.

“We would like to urge fellow supporters to shun such material because it is not benefiting the club in any way.

“Now we have got our own stocks of replicas and flags, which we believe are affordable to almost everyone.

“We are also working to get scarfs and bigger flags and it is worthwhile to note that we have also reduced prices of the original Adidas jerseys to $40 so that more of our fans will be able to buy,” said Chikengezha.

Dynamos will play Hwange away at the Colliery in their next league game but they are already planning for the home game against Highlanders which follows afterwards.

The team has embarked on a nationwide membership drive and they are hoping to officially launch the programme in the build-up to the big game.