Dynamos technical director Aristica Cioaba is set to return to Zimbabwe today, with the Romanian walking into a club engulfed in disciplinary and boardroom turbulence just days before the much-anticipated Harare derby against CAPS United.
Cioaba, who has been in Romania on a short holiday, was initially expected back yesterday but is now due in the country today.
Despite his absence, the Romanian has remained closely involved in Dynamos’ preparations for Saturday’s Castle Lager Premier Soccer League showdown, including taking a firm stance on the growing disciplinary controversy involving new signing Nathan Mutasa.
Mutasa has been frozen out of first-team training following a series of disciplinary concerns and was again forced to train separately yesterday as his teammates continued preparations for the derby.
A member of the technical team said Cioaba had given clear instructions regarding the forward’s situation.
“The coach made it clear that he should not be allowed to train with the rest of the team until his issues are sorted and he is cleared to play,” the source said.
“He sends us a schedule and clear guidelines for training, and freezing out Mutasa was one of his directives following the Monday incident.”
The latest incident reportedly occurred at The Heart Stadium on Monday when Mutasa became involved in a heated exchange with members of the technical team, forcing assistant coach Lawrence Mawulorm, who has been overseeing the squad in Cioaba’s absence, to cut the training session short.
The confrontation came shortly after Mutasa was fined for missing a training session without authorisation.
His continued exclusion now leaves Cioaba with a major decision to make when he resumes direct control of preparations, with the Glamour Boys yet to confirm whether the forward will be considered for Saturday’s derby.
The timing could hardly be more difficult for Dynamos, who are seeking to bounce back from a 1-0 defeat to Chicken Inn and avenge their earlier 2-1 loss to CAPS United.
But the problems confronting DeMbare extend beyond the training ground.
The club is also facing reported tensions in the boardroom, with secretary-general Divine Sena and chief executive officer Desmond Bvute allegedly caught up in a power struggle involving chairman Vincent Chawonza.
Dynamos recently appointed AMG Global Chartered Accountants to conduct a six-month review of the club’s financial management systems, governance structures, policies, procedures and internal controls.
The exercise, which began on August 1, is intended to strengthen accountability, improve operational efficiency and protect the club’s assets.
However, the review has reportedly added another layer to the internal tensions, with the accountants understood to be working closely with Chawonza.
Amid the reported cold war, Bvute is also understood to have offered to resign, although board chairman Bernard Marriot Lusengo, who is reportedly in South Africa, has yet to deliberate on the matter.
Dynamos patron Webster Shamu is meanwhile understood to be working with Marriot in an effort to help the club’s senior officials resolve their differences amicably.
The turmoil comes at an uncomfortable time for a club historically accustomed to internal disputes erupting around major matches.
This time, however, the instability is being felt both on the technical side and in the executive corridors, with the CAPS United derby looming large.
Cioaba’s return therefore carries added significance. Besides preparing Dynamos for one of the biggest fixtures on the domestic football calendar, he will have to restore order in the dressing room and determine the fate of Mutasa.
Across town, CAPS United are also battling their own problems, with injuries affecting their squad and midfielder Tanaka Shandirwa reportedly doubtful after sustaining injuries in an off-field altercation whose circumstances have not been fully explained by the club.
With both Harare giants carrying problems into the derby, Saturday’s encounter promises to be as much a test of character and composure as it is a battle for three points.
