Murape excited to be back

FORMER Dynamos captain Murape Murape yesterday said the Glamour Boys need unity across the board and demanded total commitment from the players to help the Harare giants turn around their fortunes following a bad start in this year’s league campaign.

The former midfielder was warmly welcomed by the players and staff at the team’s training yesterday as he began his duties under interim head of technical team, Lloyd Mutasa.

Murape said he was excited to be back at DeMbare after spending one year on the sidelines.

Murape’s playing career came to an abrupt end last season when the club decided against registering him for the 2015 campaign but he has since taken the opportunity to hone his coaching skills by attaining a CAF C Licence.

“I am honoured and it’s really great and emotional to be back here at the team that I love so much with all my heart and fought so many battles for.

“Some were successful and some were not but it’s just good to be back and hopefully things will change for the better,” said Murape.

Murape yesterday said unity of purpose was needed.

Dynamos have only managed one win this season, losing three and drawing two leading to the sacking of Portuguese coach Paulo Jorge Silva.

“We are working as a team and I think it’s not up to me to say that because I am back and then results automatically will start coming.

“It’s for everyone involved with Dynamos — from the supporters, technical team, executive, players, kit manager, everyone must have one vision because Dynamos has so many enemies as much as we have admirers.

“The key is for everyone to pull together in one direction. The supporters have to play their role of supporting the team. Even when the chips are down we expect our supporters to cheer up the guys.

“As the technical team we will also try our best to encourage the boys. Encouragement is what is needed at the moment because we are going through a tough period. For us to get out of this we need everyone’s encouragement,” said Murape.

Dynamos have not won a match at home in three attempts this season.

Murape challenged the team’s players to step up their act and invoke the true spirit of Dynamos whenever they go out on assignment.

The Glamour Boys will take their battle to Bulawayo this Saturday to face Tsholotsho and then return home to host Highlanders the following week.

The Harare giants have applied to shift base to the National Sports Stadium to curb hooliganism.

“What we want to see as the technical team is the enduring passion because playing for Dynamos means you have to give all and prepare to ‘die’ for the team. That’s the attitude that we want to see from the players.

“Players have to show commitment that we are Dynamos. In fact, when players come from the other teams they should be quick to adapt to the Dynamos culture. Players should not be timid, they should not be afraid to make mistakes.

“It’s not our culture that we should be dominated by other teams because we are the big boys.

It has to show by our attitude and how we apply ourselves on the pitch. So that’s what we demand from the players.

“Once you agree to wear that Dynamos jersey you have to show that by your commitment, you have to show by the way you apply yourselves.

“Dynamos is about results, so that’s what we want. We are challenging the players to step up, we have to improve from what we were doing. But I am not saying we were failing to play football.

“In football you go through a rough patch and that was what was happening. But it’s how you come out of it that shows are you strong enough to play for Dynamos.

“So they have to show us their character. I think starting from this week when we play Tsholotsho we need to see that hunger to lift the team back to where it belongs. The players should be united on the pitch, that’s what has made us successful as a club over the years.

“We have had these difficult situations before and we came out of them. So we expect to come out of this situation. We have to have that belief that we are Dynamos. What has happened before is now history. We are looking forward, we cannot live in the past,” said Murape.

DeMbare coach Lloyd Mutasa said he was happy to have Murape as his assistant. He said he is looking to see his football protégé Murape grow in his coaching career the same way he did when he handed him his jersey upon leaving Dynamos as a player. DeMbare are also looking to have Clayton Munemo to join them once the deal to bring him on board is finalised.

“It’s a blessing to be in Dynamos setup to have Murape as part and parcel of the family.

If you recall he is the young man that I handed over my jersey to, the jersey number 11, during my playing days.

 

“I remember he was my roommate as well and today he is here as assistant coach. So I am happy for him,” said Mutasa.

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