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Grace Chingoma Senior Sports Reporter
DYNAMOS players met their new coach Paulo George Silva yesterday, with the Portuguese gaffer showing that he means business as he ordered the Glamour Boys to work hard this season because he is here on a mission to win trophies.

The new DeMbare coach yesterday visited the players at their training session where he followed proceedings from the sidelines as assistant coach, Gift “Umbro” Muzadzi, took the players through their paces.

Those who arrived late quickly found out that things had changed as Silva said he was a strict man who believed in things being done in a professional way.

Later on, Silva had a long chat with members of the new-look technical team which includes Lloyd Mutasa, Muzadzi and team manager Richard Chihoro.

And with Silva yet to be granted his work permit, it meant that he could only follow proceedings from a distance, although he addressed his players.

Mutasa, also tied with a contract with his employers Zimbabwe Prison Services which is set to expire at the end of February, was also at the training session exchanging notes with the new DeMbare boss.

“The players received him very well. He is coming from Europe so obviously he will bring in a few new things,” said Muzadzi.

“I understand he coached some big teams there in Europe so, in terms of professionalism, I think the team will change a little bit.

“He said he is happy to be here and is looking forward to winning the championship this season. But he promised the players that they have to work hard because everyone wants to beat Dynamos.

“I think he has been researching on the Internet. He knows a lot of stuff about Dynamos and was following the team for quite sometime.”

It was a full house at the Prince Edward grounds, although defender Sydney Linyama missed the opening session.

The bulk of the players such as skipper Augustine Mbara, Takesure Chinyama, Kelvin Bulaji, Godknows Murwira, Stephen Alimenda and Walter Mukanga trained with the team.

The quartet of Ocean Mushure, Rodreck Mutuma, goalkeeper Tatenda Mukuruva and Elisha Muroiwa is away in Rwanda with the national team.

New signings, the Triangle duo of goalkeeper Ashley Reyners and Jimmy Dzingai, were also present.

Muzadzi revealed that they have signed Reyners, while Dzingai was on his way to the club.

Another new signing Dominic Mukandi, who was snapped by the club last week from rivals CAPS United, was, however, not present.

Defender Tichaona Chipunza who arrives at the club from Triangle, was also not part of the session.

“We didn’t do much on the first day. It was about introductions and just to see how the boys are. They were just enjoying doing a few things with the ball,” said Muzadzi.

“But I think from tomorrow (today) we will start seriously as we have also been checking on their health and fitness, those who are injured and those who are not injured.

“All the players came except for Sydney (Linyama), we don’t know his status, and Tichaona Chipunza, he is a new guy and we can even excuse him, even for a week.

“He was with the national team, never rested so, maybe, we can give him a week or two then he will join the rest of the guys.

“There are some other guys like Jimmy Dzingai from Triangle and Ashley Reyners, they are also here. Dominic Mukandi didn’t come today but tomorrow we are expecting him, I am sure he is still sorting out a few things.”

The players will in their first weeks work more on the physical side before they get into ball work.

“This week we would just be working on their physical condition. Then we we will start on their ball work. But from what he (coach) said to me, the players should work with the ball, that’s what he told us, me and Samaita, because he said I have seen in Africa players run 20km yet the most important thing is to run with the ball,” said Muzadzi.

“We already have a week’s training programme and I think when he goes back he will leave us.

“Dynamos, CAPS United and Highlanders are big teams and I don’t think trials are a good idea. We have to invite players. If we invite players it would be better and we can assess them while working with the rest of the team.”

The club is also believed to be interested in boosting their team with some foreign players from Nigeria and Zambia.

Before joining the Harare giants, Silva has been in charge of a number of teams in Europe, including in Germany where he had stints with Nuremberg, VfB Stuttgart, Greuther Furth, Aalen.

He has also coached Sporting Lisbon in his home country.

Last September, he joined Nigerian side C.O.D United, and has also coached Al Wasl and Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates.