HARARE - Embattled Dynamos coach Calisto Pasuwa last night survived a plot to sack him by senior staff within the club.

Pasuwa, whose position became perilous following the defending champions’ fourth straight draw in their opening four games of the new Castle Premiership season, has been fighting to keep his job in the opening stages of the season.

The nil all draw with newly-promoted Triangle at Rufaro Stadium on Sunday left the Glamour Boys at position 11 on the table and Pasuwa on the brink as a section of the club’s fans and a faction within the team’s management howled for his head.

Pasuwa has faced the same detractors since taking over the reins from Lloyd Mutasa mid-2011, with the hecklers pouncing on every opportunity to oust the two-time championship winning coach.

But the desire to win the league title for the third year running has been put above the internal politics at the record 19-time Zimbabwean champions.

Last night the anti-Pasuwa faction appeared defeated again, at least for now, with the under-fire coach getting another chance to get things right.

An impeccable source told the Daily News last night that the club’s top hierarchy still had faith in Pasuwa.

“The issue of the coach has never been an issue so far this season,” the source said.

“Surely, we’ve only played four games. Yes, this is not the start we would have loved, but it’s not a disaster. We are not pressing panic buttons yet. In 2008, Monomotapa lost their first five games of the season. They went on to win the league.

“In 2011, Pasuwa took over a struggling group of Dynamos players at a crucial stage of the season and turned them into champions. So if we were to fire the coach now, clearly it will be due to reasons other than football, and we cannot do that.”

The club’s executive, meanwhile, yesterday passed a vote of confidence in Pasuwa and his technical bench following a crucial meeting.

Vice-chairperson Webster Chikengezha quashed speculation that Pasuwa was on his way out.

“We have not fired the coach. In fact we never discussed him,” Chikengezha told the Daily News yesterday.  

“We had agreed that after every two weeks we meet as an executive to review our games so this was just a routine meeting and we have reviewed the games and discussed issues which need to be corrected.

“Pasuwa’s job is safe and I don’t know where this talk of firing him is coming from. We are happy with the explanation from the coaches and there is not even an ultimatum to talk about.

“It was actually our third meeting of the year and the coach raised a number of issues which contributed to the team’s poor performance.  We have looked at players who are injured and players who left the club as well. We felt as the executive we need to supply the coaches with adequate resources especially for training.”

Chikengezha added that Pasuwa and his assistants assured the executive that they still have a strong side capable of successfully defending their title.

Dynamos’ next game is against Highlanders in the Independence Trophy final at the National Sports Stadium tomorrow before the two rivals meet again in a blockbuster league tie at Rufaro Stadium on Sunday.

And Pasuwa knows the importance of those two crucial fixtures, which can determine his future with the club. - Enock Muchinjo and Godknows Matarutse