Positive results are not coming Dynamos’ way so far this season. Many reasons may be advanced to support the above statement – that the current crop of players do not deserve to don the famous blue strip, that the executive must resign in mass or that the recently fired first team coach, Lloyd “Ma Blanyo” Chigove was out of his depth are statements which may find some takers within the sporting community.
To have expected “Ma Blanyo” to bring the old glory and glamour to the Blue-Half of Harare was similar to expecting Ole Gunnar “Baby-Faced Assassin” Solskjaer to bring Champions League Soccer to Old Trafford next season.
In terms of support from fans – Dynamos has a large support base countrywide. Dynamos has more supporters in Harare than all the other five Harare based Premier League teams – Caps United, Harare United, Yadah, Black Rhinos and Herentals – combined.
This huge support base comes with a price though – Dynamos fans are generally impatient and they resort to violence if results are not coming their way.
That Dynamos has perennially failed to convert its huge fan base into a financially viable venture through an aggressive membership drive boggles the mind.
I admire the way business is being run across the country at Highlanders in Bulawayo. The rebuilding and restructuring process at Highlanders is very well organised. Though results are not coming Highlanders’ way, the executive has managed to rope in Bkekithemba Ndlovu into the fold. Working as Madinda Ndlovu’s understudy shows a two-pronged strategy which will work in favour of Highlanders in the future. Being an Under-20 National Soccer team coach gives Bhekithemba the chance to identify talented players who can be lured to Highlanders while at the same time he will gain the trust and respect of the current crop of players such that when he takes over he will have an easy task to mould a strong team like the Highlanders which won four consecutive league titles at the turn of the century.
Mobile phone network operator, NetOne, dropped Dynamos and roped in Chapungu – in addition to Black Rhinos, Caps United and Highlanders – when it revised its soccer sponsorship package this season.
That NetOne dropped Dynamos – a supposedly cash-cow in terms of its high fan support base – is not surprising. Generally, Dynamos fans have a violent streak within them. No corporate organisation would like to be associated with unlawfulness. Contrary to the above, Gold Leaf Tobacco Zimbabwe inked a five year sponsorship deal with Dynamos through its Rudland and George cigarette brand. Then NetOne conveniently found a way not to sponsor Dynamos.
That Dynamos chose a Tobacco Company to sponsor it brings to the fore the lack of moral uprightness at the club. The current debate on sponsorship of sport by Tobacco Companies has been favouring the banning of thereof. Marlboro cigarettes used to be the face of advertising at grand prix circuits at the high speed, high octane, Formula One, motor racing sport during the late 1990s when Michael Schumacher was then the king of the circuit. That marriage was terminated when the World Health Organisation (WHO) took a strong position against the tobacco industry’s sponsorship and advertising in sports.
Prima facie, the excuse that Dynamos has a new sponsor holds true but a closer look reveals that NetOne would have benefited more if it had sponsored Dynamos. With its OneMoney e-wallet platform, NetOne could have reaped huge returns on investments (ROI), through advocating for payment of matchday tickets through One Money. At the equally troubled Manchester United Chevrolet and Kohler brand the match day kit and AON brands the training kit. It’s a win-win situation.
Taking a closer look at the events of the past two weeks, I think the violent behaviour of Dynamos soccer fans deters potential sponsors. Positive results are not coming at Highlanders but their fans have been patient and exemplary as the executive and team management try to sort things out. Positive results are also not coming at position six welded and Europa League destined Manchester United but their fans have been patient and exemplary. At Manchester United the fans realised that the problem lies with the executive and they are toying with the idea of ousting the Glazier family as they believe that the Americans are only creaming off the profits without investing in quality players who can stand the heat in both the domestic and continental leagues. Sponsors keep rolling in and its fifty- still counting.
As events unfolded this week- Tonderayi “Stanza” Ndiraya took over from “Ma Blanyo” and in a cryptically couched response to Charles “CNN” Mabika question on GAME PLAN Soccer Show on ZBC TV – “Ma Blanyo” exonerated the players and his manager exonerated him from the troubles at Dynamos. This leaves the executive as the source of the problems at Dynamos.
The executive at Dynamos needs to understand that the behaviour of their fans is the face of Dynamos. As long as there is no membership drive at Dynamos criminals and hooligans will take advantage of the situation and continuously cause chaos at matches as was experienced at Barbourfields against Chicken Inn and at Rufaro against Herentals. A well disciplined set of fans attracts sponsors and this is the reason why Chapungu and Black Rhinos were roped in for NetOne sponsorship.
Dynamos fans need to understand that violent behaviour will chase away sponsors. Without a financially attractive sponsorship package there would be no money to buy quality players. Without quality players the club will keep on struggling. It will be a vicious cycle. Remember Manchester United was at position six when Jose Mourinho was fired and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was brought in. The thinking was that Ole would take the Red Devils to Champions League soccer but don’t forget the team is still welded at position six. So changing coaches at Dynamos might not be the solution to their problems. The “Glaziers” at Dynamos and the violent behaviour of the unregistered fans might be the problem. It’s time to slay the hydra and let the phoenix rise again.
The Truth! 