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Eddie Chikamhi

Senior Sports Reporter

DYNAMOS coach Tonderai Ndiraya has appealed to the Glamour Boys management to consider incentives to lure the club’s supporters to come and back their team, especially at their adopted National Sports Stadium home ground.

DeMbare host ZPC Kariba in a Castle Lager Premiership football match at the 60-000-seater stadium this afternoon.

In fact, DeMbare are set to play four successive games at the ground, beginning with last week’s 3-1 victory over Tenax.

But the attendance since resumption of football in this country has been disappointing. The Premier Soccer League have been keeping the attendance statistics a closely-guarded secret.

Ndiraya believes they need to capitalise on the 12th man as they are also set to play Harare City and Black Rhinos at the National Sports Stadium in their next two assignments.

The National Sports Stadium is allowed to carry around 18 000 fans under the current Covid-19 regulations, but a small fraction of that has been attending DeMbare’s home matches.

Apparently, DeMbare fans have been struggling having to commute twice to reach the National Sports Stadium, hence the reduced numbers.

Ndiraya said the club’s management was aware of the situation and also hinted the club could consider chipping in with transport subsidies to help ferry the supporters from the city centre to the National Sports Stadium.

“Traditionally we have had some good numbers but because of the economic situation, it’s been difficult lately for our fans to come in numbers to the National Sports Stadium.

“Our home is Rufaro Stadium and I think financially it’s manageable for our fans to go to Rufaro because you just need one form of transport to get there.

“So if you factor in all those things then naturally it becomes difficult for our fans to travel to the National Sports Stadium. I am sure the management is working on that.

“There are a lot of incentives that can be given to our supporters; perhaps we can organise transport for them. I am sure it’s viable, from town to the National Sports Stadium, so that we can have the numbers that we want.

“It’s one area that they (management) spoke to me about that they may consider doing, to help transport our supporters from town to the National Sports Stadium to cushion them on the transport aspect.

“We hope that they can do their maths, so to speak, and see if it is viable to do that because at the end of the day it’s business. We don’t want to be making losses all the time.

“But from the technical team point of view, we want our supporters to come. We are not happy with the turnout at the National Sports Stadium.”

Dynamos currently have the financial muscle to explore various incentives after landing a lucrative sponsorship with Sakunda Holdings. But to what extent the transport option is viable, the club would advise once they have completed their calculations.

At least 20-plus standard buses would be needed to ferry 2 000 fans, who will fill two bays under the Covid-19 social distancing rules.

“We continue to appeal to our fans. We miss them, we would want them to fill up the ground,” said Ndiraya.

“I always joke with the (Dynamos) foreign players that they had to brace themselves for the big crowds. But with what is obtaining now, they would probably think I was lying to them. We want them to feel that atmosphere that is usually created by our supporters.

“So far we haven’t really seen that. At the same time, I would also want to thank those that have been coming. In these difficult times, they have really sacrificed a lot to come and watch their team and it is our hope that we will continue to produce some good results for them,” said Ndiraya.

Dynamos, who have won their last two matches against Bulawayo Chiefs and Tenax, are looking to continue with their newly-found form. They have recovered from setbacks faced early in the season.

But Ndiraya is still demanding more from his charges after bringing in a number of new players like 2019 Soccer Star runner-up Ralph Kawondera, Keith Murera, Brandon Mpofu, Evans Katema, Issa Sadiki as well as three foreigners that include two Ghanaians Emmanuel Paga and Martin Ofori; and Nigerian Alex Orotomal.

Their preparations received a big boost with the return of fullback Emmanuel Jalai from a groin injury and big Nigerian forward Orotomal, who had a muscle pull. Issa Sadiki is also back from a toe injury but will not be rushed into action.

“In terms of results, I think we are progressing but in terms of performances, I still want more from the team. We have got new players, some foreign players, and it takes a bit of time for these players to be a team.

“We have played only four games this year. So we are projecting that by the time we play our 10th game we will be looking more like a team.

“At the moment we are not yet there but the more these players train and play together the more we have a team. At the moment I can say we don’t have a team yet but we are slowly getting to be a team. But we expect the (good) form to continue.

“We are playing ZPC Kariba; a team we have struggled to beat in the past. We have had tight contests although we have won some of those matches. I recall we played them twice in the Chibuku Super Cup tournament last year; we won with identical 1-0 scorelines. So it’s a very difficult team to break down,” said Ndiraya.