Tadious Manyepo-Sports Reporter
DYNAMOS were preparing to announce the big news.
They have already gotten rid of coach Tonderai Ndiraya whose contract will not be renewed at the end of this year.
The former Ngezi Platinum Stars gaffer is reported to be heading to Shamva to superintend over newly-promoted Premiership football side Simba Bhora.
The highly-rated ex-Black Rhinos coach Herbert “Jompano” Maruwa is taking over the hot seat at Dynamos.
He is expected to finally end the over six years wait to deliver the league title to the Harare giants.
The good thing is that Maruwa is not new to the Glamour Boys, having been part of the backroom staff which won the league title for four consecutive seasons under the legendary tutelage of Callisto Pasuwa.
While Maruwa will not be unveiled until Ndiraya’s term officially runs out, Dynamos were set to announce a significant signing in Callum English-Brown.
The midfielder, who caught the imagination of many while playing for relegated WhaWha, was what Dynamos needed to transform their fortunes.
They clearly lacked the creativity in crucial areas in a season they were tipped to win the title but ended in a distant third place.
And after delivering some eye-catching displays in WhaWha colours, several teams wanted to take English-Brown aboard.
Dynamos, in particular, wanted him, especially after the Glamour Boys fans mobbed him following his top-notch showing against them at the National Sports Stadium two months ago.
He had to sign autographs with the fans at the sound of the final whistle on that day and he seemed to agree that DeMbare could be his next home.
“I feel very much loved after this moment. The fans were saying to me that I should join Dynamos. I like this team so much and I am willing to sign for them,” said English-Brown then.
“I am very humbled and I wish one day I will be clad in their colours as part of them.”
And he had agreed in principle to join Dynamos. He has been in talks with the Glamour Boys, who The Herald understands want to sign at least 10 players to beef-up the squad this off-season.
The secretary-general of the team, Webster Marechera, was leading the negotiations.
But there are reports English-Brown felt undermined and underrated when the negotiators simulated that he needed to toe their line since it was a huge opportunity for him to play for Dynamos.
The impressive English-Brown, who is nicknamed the “White Lion”, was reportedly not very much amused with that but did not refuse the offer.
But while Dynamos were still bickering to complete the paperwork, Chicken Inn came in with a lucrative package and English-Brown never hesitated.
English-Brown has signed a two-year contract with the Bulawayo-based side.
He told The Herald yesterday joining Chicken Inn was a huge step in his career.
“I am very, very excited to sign for Chicken Inn, I think it’s a good step in the right direction in my career. I will be with the team challenging for the league title. I know Chicken Inn are capable of doing that. It’s definitely a very good move for myself and I hope that I can help Chicken Inn to improve the position that they finished in and possibly win the title,” he said.
“Hopefully next year I will be able to make a very big impact. Chicken Inn are a big club, I will need to work hard and try to improve in all aspects of my game.
“There are a lot of things that I need to work on in my game to try and improve. I will make sure that I work very hard this off season to be ready for this challenge.”
English-Brown’s Legends Football Academy coach, Farai Dhliwayo, was hopeful that the ‘’White Lion’s’’ move was the beginning of a revolution where more Premiership clubs would consider signing more young and talented players for the 2023 season.
“I’m hopeful that many clubs will give young and capable players more opportunities to play.
“I doubt that Callum would have had this chance to move to Chicken Inn if Whawha had not given him the opportunity to play and showcase his talents,’’ Dhliwayo said.
“He did very well despite the fact that Whawha were a lowly club.
“I think with more of such exciting youngsters like Callum getting a chance to play, more and more people will stream back to the stadiums,’’ he said.
English-Brown is one of three exciting prospects to have emerged from Legends in the last two seasons.
The others are 17-year-old striker Washington Mapuwa, who was on loan to Whawha in the just-ended season and scored a wonder goal at the National Sports Stadium against Harare City on Match Day 32, and 21-year-old defender Tashinga Pfende, who was on the books of Tenax where he registered some man-of-the-match performances for the prisons wardens.