BY HENRY MHARA
THE future of some senior Dynamos players including Simba Nhivi and Archford Gutu (pictured) is uncertain as they have not been attending the team’s pre-season preparations with indications that they have not been offered new contracts.
The two lead a long list of players who have been left to ponder their future with the club seemingly not keen on re-engaging them for the new season.
Some of the players, who played for the club last year, but have not had their contracts renewed include Tawanda Macheke, Walter Sande, Edgar Mhungu, Philip Kaseke, goalkeeper Stephen Chimusoro, Simba Mupamaonde and Viali Tadzoka.
Cameroonian Clade “Neymar” Nkahan and Robert Sackey of Ghana have returned to their countries after the expiry of their contracts at the end of the year. There are no prospects that the two expatriates will return after an underwhelming season with the Harare giants last year.
Veteran striker Edward Sadomba called time to his career at the end of the season last year. At least 14 players have had their contracts not renewed.
Dynamos spokesperson Tinashe Farawo hinted that the players that had not been training with the club would not be offered new contracts.
“If you have not been training with the team by now, it means that you are not in the coach’s plans. Those who have not been in touch with the coach are out,” Farawo said.
The club has also shown the exit door to popular utility player Godfrey “Marabha” Mukambi for indiscipline after he allegedly travelled to South Africa where he participated in a social soccer match without clearance.
“He was part of the players that went for a money game in South Africa. He lied to the coach that he was going to see his child in Beitbridge, but it later turned out that he had skipped to South Africa to play a social match. The coach was not happy with that,” a source said.
“The coach wants players who are committed to the club. He wants to remove all bad apples from the team. We all know how talented Marabha is and how he helped the team last year, but in soccer if you are not disciplined you are nothing. Talent alone is not enough,” the source added.
Another source, however, said that coach Tonderai Ndiraya was mulling calling back Nhivi because of a striker crisis at the club.
“The team is desperate for strikers and if they don’t find a good striker this week, they might be forced to go back to Simba and offer him a contract. Coach Ndiraya would prefer to have him in his squad,” the source said.
Nhivi joined the club midway the season last year, but he saw very little action on a spell that was blighted by injuries.
The club has been very busy on the transfer market where they have signed a total 14 players, including Patson Jaure and King Nadolo in their bid to recapture past glory.
However, club chairman Isiah Mupfurutsa at the weekend told this publication that they were still short of strikers and were struggling to find any suitable forwards in the local market.
He said they could be forced to import.
Dynamos were left short of strikers after the departure of Evans Katema who was their main man upfront last year. The dreadlocked striker has moved to Zambia.
Young Nigel Katawa is away in Russia for trials together with goalkeeper Simbarashe Chinani.
It appears the team is already preparing for life without Chinani after they signed Tymon Mvula from Hwange last month.
Other notable players that have joined Dynamos this year are Byron Madzokere, Jeansmith Mutudza, Nkosi Mhlanga and David Temwanjira who is perhaps the only recognisable striker in the squad.
