Shamu rallies Glamour Boys Minister Shamu
Minister Shamu

Minister Shamu

Eddie Chikamhi Senior Sports Reporter
Dynamos patron Webster Shamu has challenged Dynamos to adopt a paradigm shift in the way they have been conducting business and reclaim their place as the kings of domestic football.

Shamu, who was the guest of honour at the club’s end of year awards at a local hotel on Tuesday night, said the Glamour Boys are known throughout history as the pacesetters of excellence on the domestic football scene.

The Harare giants have not won the league title since 2014 when Callisto Pasuwa led them to an unprecedented run of four titles in a row starting from 2011. But Shamu said he has seen the dedication in the current crop of Dynamos players that could make the Glamour Boys great again if they can push harder on their work ethic.

The Mashonaland West Provincial Affairs minister, who is a Dynamos fan at heart, declared 2018 as the year for DeMbare’s resurrection. He said the Glamour Boys are indisputably one of the most successful teams on the pitch not only in Zimbabwe, but in the Southern African region, after raking in 22 league titles since their formation in 1963.

Shamu drew most of his inspiration and confidence from the fighting spirit shown by the team this year despite going with a bunch of largely unknown players after they were deserted by the majority of their senior players last season.

Dynamos pressed for the title until the last day of the campaign, but they fell two points short as rivals FC Platinum swept to their maiden championship with 72 points in the tough contest. In his speech, Shamu delivered a subtle counsel to the club’s leadership to put in place mechanisms to end the drought of silverware.

“Let me hasten to point out that 2018 should offer a new landscape for the club. The history of this club moves with the time. We are in a new era, a new dispensation where we have a President (Emmerson Mnangagwa) who by 7.45am is already in the office, a paradigm shift.

“It’s no longer business as usual. We would like that spirit also to find its space within Dynamos. We all should say 2018 is not business as usual, which means our club should now go for the league and we can do it.

“If you look back January or February of 2017, go back to the first game when people couldn’t even recognise our players on the pitch, a lot of things were said, but most of those people are eating back their words back.

“So 2018 should be Dynamos’ year. We have to win, the league we must take, cup accolades must come to us. This means we are wishing the club success in 2018. Dynamos must continue to set the pace for club excellence in Zimbabwe and I know that with the spirit that we demonstrated in 2017, nothing is impossible,” said Shamu.

DeMbare finished a credible second in the just ended season and they teamed up with their sponsors BancABC to reward their best performers by reviving the end of year awards ceremony which had been ditched in recent years because of the tough economic environment.

Skipper Ocean Mushure and midfielder Tinashe Chipunza were the biggest winners on the night after bagging a brace of awards each. Coach Lloyd Mutasa welcomed the club’s gesture.

“I think it’s good for the institution. I think it motivates the youngsters when some people get to recognise them for the good work that they did. Ocean was a vital cog of the team. He was there again on the Players’ Player of the Year and he lost by a single vote meaning that it was closely contested and the many saw it fit that he was part and parcel of the people who made Dynamos to be where they are now,” said Mutasa.

But the coach is worried about the future of his project as some of his key players like Chipunza and Peace Makaha, who was voted the Most Improved Player have their contracts expiring at the end of December.

The Harare giants have not yet engaged the players and are currently in a difficult situation as they owe most of their players substantial amounts in salaries and winning bonuses. DeMbare have struggled to meet their salary bill ever since BancABC decided to slash their sponsorship package last season.

“When we look at continuity, we have people like Tichaona Chipunza who has his contract expiring on December 31 being crowned the Most Consistent and the Player’s Player of the Year, it’s an indication that players of this magnitude are really required in our institution.

“We also have Makaha whose contract again is expiring at the end of December, but coming out as the Most Improved Player. I think these are the players that we would want to have for continuity’s sake.

“It can be a bit late, but not hopeless probably in terms of these youngsters realising that they are really wanted by this team. And probably for the administration part this is the occasion, this is the time to make the youngsters happy and convince them to remain with the team,” said Mutasa

DeMbare are also set to lose Cameroonian gunslinger Joel Epoupa who is a target of some South African Premiership teams. Epoupa is set to go for trials on Boxing Day with struggling Bidvest Wits looking the most likely target.

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