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Dynamos have over the years held their pre-season training at Raylton Sports Club in the capital.
But DeMbare, eager to avoid distractions that come with having players close to their families, want to move away from Harare for a while.

The move is expected to bolster team-building and assist old and new players to bond.
Dynamos might have won back-to-back league and cup doubles in the last two years, but they have been faring dismally in the tougher Champions League tournament in which they have struggled to reach the lofty standards they set in 1998 when reaching the final of the biggest continental inter-club knockout competition.

They also reached the semi-finals in 2008 under David Mandigora while their last appearance in the Champions League was in 2010 with Elvis Chiweshe at the helm.

But in the last two years, Dynamos have struggled to scale the same heights with both coaches Lloyd Mutasa and Pasuwa failing to go beyond the second round in the last two years.

Dynamos’ poor showing has also cost the Harare giants their seeding in the competition in which they were once rated the sixth best club on the continent.

In 1998 Pasuwa, then a player, was a key member of Sunday Chidzambwa’s class, which defied odds to book a place in the Champions League final.

Dynamos eventually fell 4-2 on aggregate to ASEC Mimosas of Cote d’Ivoire.
Pasuwa was still a player again when Dynamos reached the group stage of the same competition in the 1999 edition with David George finishing off the race after Chidzambwa had resigned.

The Dynamos mentor and reigning Premiership Coach of the Year knows fully well the demands of the continental game and has often made clear that he would want his charges to be more focused during pre-season training and have adequate preparations before they plunge back into the Champions League.

Pasuwa and his assistant Tonderai Ndiraya will also be expecting to welcome some of their new recruits when DeMbare regroup today.

The coaches’ wish to have a training camp outside the capital seems to have received the blessings of the Dynamos board of directors, who also endorsed the decision at their meeting on Saturday.

The Glamour Boys have targeted Chiredzi or Kariba to get the best out of the conditions in the resort towns.

The club’s executive and the technical team are set to meet and finalise on the arrangements.
Dynamos board of directors secretary Chris Kasiyazi yesterday said the Glamour Boys are aiming to have good preparations and are hoping to start off with the conditioning and team-bonding exercise.

DeMbare are scheduled to get their campaign off the ground against Lesotho Correctional Service in a preliminary round tie mid-next month.

Kasiyazi yesterday said the executive has been hoping to have all players in place by today, but the club is still to tie down a number of players such as Sydney Linyama, who is hoping to move base from Chicken Inn.

The Hwange duo of striker Francesco Zikumbawire and Zambian defender Aaron Katebe are also still to conclude possible switches to the capital.

Dynamos have also only agreed personal terms with defender Morris Kadzola, but are still to seal a deal with the club that has the rights to the player — lower Division side Sprouting.

Kasiyazi said the club would put their training programme in motion while negotiations continue.
Dynamos are understood to be still negotiating new contracts with midfielders Milton Makopa and Devon Chafa, utility player Thomas Magorimbo and striker Martin Vengesayi.
The quartet’s terms expired on December 31.

“It’s correct to say that there are some few players who are still to confirm their move to Dynamos, but that will not stop us from beginning our per-season preparations.

“Obviously the coach would want all his players in place but we have to factor in the issue of time. So those tasked to do the job are working flat out to conclude everything and the team will definitely go in camp this week.

“The technical team and the executive are handling that issue and it is the coaches who have the final word on the destination where they would want to camp,” said Kasiyazi.

“We are trying all means to have an adequate preparations so that by the time we play our first game we should be conditioned.”

DeMbare’s preparation suffered a setback with the resignation of businessman Raymond Kazembe from the secretary-general’s post two weeks ago.

Club vice-chairman Webster Chikengezha has since been tasked to double up as secretary-general while Dynamos try to persuade Kazembe to have a change of heart or identify a substantive replacement.

Kasiyazi said the board, which met on Saturday over the issue, had given Chikengezha their blessings to continue with the roles that also include negotiating new contracts and running the pre-season campaign.

“As of now we have put certain people to take over the duties in an acting capacity whom we think are doing very well.

“Obviously we will need a substantive secretary-general in the near future so we will sit down again to assess how they are performing.

“Our Patron (Webster Shamu) was present at the meeting and he emphasised on oneness and the need to put the right people in the positions.

“In the case that the person who is holding the portfolio in an acting capacity is doing well, then why not install him as the substantive secretary-general?” said Kasiyazi.

DeMbare — who are the undisputed kings of Zimbabwean football after winning the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League title and the Mbada Diamonds Cup for two years in succession — are also keen to make 2013 a special year.

This is because the club will turn 50 this year and are lining up a number of activities to mark their Golden jubilee anniversary.