Harare — In the week that Harare giants Dynamos will play their first African Champions League home game in nine years - a preliminary round tie against Swaziland police outfit Royal Leopards - we caught up with one of the survivors of that class of 1999, striker Murape Murape.

The pencil-slim forward together with midfielder Desmond Maringwa were still club rookies when Dynamos held the nation spellbound by reaching the Champions League final in 1998 and also featuring in the money-spinning mini-league phase a year later.

Now a mature 28-year-old Murape, has been handed the Dynamos captaincy and buoyed by winning his first silverware as skipper - the Nestle Charity Shield - the former Zimbabwe youth international will be expected to lead from the front when DeMbare host the Swazi policemen at Gwanzura on Sunday. Murape, the 2007 Soccer Star of the Year, revealed his disappointment at not winning a call-up to the Warriors who have been holding training camps since the arrival of Brazilian Valinhos last month.

Question: Congratulations on winning the Nestle Charity Shield. How does it feel to start your term as captain with a trophy?

Answer: It feels great and I give thanks to God for the guidance and for blessing us so that we could be recognised like that.

It has always been a dream for me that one day I would lead my club as captain and I pray that we will have more trophies coming this year.

Q: Did you expect to be handed the club's captaincy this season?

A: I never really expected this . . . it came as a surprise and a blessing in disguise at the same time.

I thought it would happen some time ago considering that I grew up in the system.

But I think I deserved it, I would like to thank the executive and the coaches for believing in me that I can lead the team.

I now have to show by example both on and off the field, discipline-wise and motivating others.

It is not going to be an easy road, but I will try my best.

Q: How has this appointment impacted on your game?

A: I think it has made me take a more positive approach at training. When you are the leader everyone looks at you and it is a great honour, so far I am enjoying it.

Q: Why do you think Dynamos have started slowly in terms of the quality of football you are playing?

A: I think the season is still too early considering that we have played only three competitive games and most players are still working on their fitness.

When we went to Swaziland, we played very well but I was not happy with the way we played against Highlanders last Sunday.

It was not up to the standard that we have set ourselves. We need to work hard to improve.

But I am happy that despite playing badly we won the game at the end of the day.

We now have to build on that result and improve on our game because even the coach was not happy with the performance of most of the guys.

We had patches whereby for five minutes we would play good football and then slump and coach Mandigora was not happy about this. We need some consistency throughout a game.

Q: But why do local players take time to find their feet whenever you are coming from the off-season break?

A: I think it all goes down to the kind of preparations we have here.

Teams in Europe and even South Africa travel to some countries and play games, hold training camps or feature in some tournaments a month before the season starts.

But here those running the clubs are reluctant to fork out money to travel and play such big teams like TP Mazembe, Orlando Pirates or Mamelodi Sundowns as part of pre-season.

We play Premiership football but during our pre-season we always play lower Division sides and we do not gain much.

In fact, it is the Division One clubs that gain more from playing against us in their pre-season.

Club administrators should also pay for the players to go to the gym.

If you look at our preparations, our first real test was against Highlanders in Bulawayo and then we went to Swaziland and managed to win but we came back and played badly.

It shows the shortcomings in the way we prepare and it should be a lesson to our administrators.

Why can't we go and play the best teams in Egypt so that even if we lose 7-1 we would have learnt a lot from playing at a higher level.

It is no use only forking out money when the season has started.

South African teams are even bringing the likes of Manchester United and Tottenham Hostpurs as part of their pre-season preparations.

Q: What do you think needs to be done to avoid having local players engaging in money games when they are supposed to be off-season?

A: Clubs should be very protective of their players. When we go for off-season some players end up playing in those games to look for money because they would not have been given any bonuses.

But, I think as players, we ought to be professional and respect our contracts by avoiding these games because you can easily get injured and spoil your career.

It is very unprofessional for us as players to try and show off your skills to your homeboys in a money game when you were struggling at your club all season.

I think there should be stiffer penalties for those who engage in money games and at the same time clubs should ensure players are also looked after during the off-season so that they do not breach their contracts by featuring in those money games.

I know of some good players who picked up serious injuries at these money games.

Q: So how is the feeling ahead of your game against Royal Leopards given that you had an important win over Highlanders?

A: It is a great feeling, it is always a nice thing to beat Highlanders and we feel very motivated ahead of the game against Royal Leopards.

But we still need to give a better performance on Sunday and we need to preserve our first leg lead and at the same time show the fans that we are truly champions.

We now have a very good team but everyone needs to work very hard because results will not just come easily simply because we are Dynamos.

We have to be humble, keep our feet on the ground and play simple football.

We also need to change the gears and start scoring more goals because so far we have been scoring once in every game.

Q: How does it feel returning to the Champions League as captain nine years after Memory Mucherahowa had that honour?

A: I think it is great because I grew up admiring Memory and I was privileged to play with him at that level.

I would like to emulate what Memory did and maybe lead the team into the final again.

There are some great teams that we will face along the way but I believe with hard work it can be done.

In 1998, we did not have many big name players but we throve on hard work and collective action.

This time we have some good players but we have to take each game as it comes and in every game that we play we have to be hungry for success.

We had a very strong defence in 1998 and we worked for each other, there were no big-headed players and I think that if we can do the same it can be done.

People looked up to Memory and he lived up to it so the young team that we have now can learn from the basic things that are required in football and if we observe those we will get far.

Q: How geared are your players for the challenges both at home and on the continent?

A: I think it is a big challenge for the players but with the signings that we have, depth is there and I hope we can avoid injuries.

Playing in the Champions League is an honour and I am sure players who have come in want to win titles and those who have been at Dynamos are still hungry for success.

We have to emulate the generations before us who used to defend the league titles and also do well in Africa.

I think coach Yogi is building a great team which I believe should be kept together if we are going to be one of the greatest Dynamos teams of all times.

It is also down to the players to fight to achieve that.

Q: Do you as players think or talk about the fact that you have gone for seven months without defeat?

A: I think we have forgotten about it.

We do not want to think about when we last lost but maybe when the media talk about it that's is when it comes to mind.

It feels great to know there is such a record but we must not let that affect how we prepare for each upcoming game.

Even though it is important history, we have to remember that it is easier to go up but to stay there is very difficult.

Maybe if we go up to June or July without losing a game then we will know it is a year gone by without defeat.

But it is the titles and achievements that will count at the end of the day.

Q: Do you see yourself playing a midfield role on a full time basis with the arrival of new strikers at Dynamos?

A: I think I am turning more into a midfielder and I am enjoying that role because I like creating chances for my teammates.

I like chasing every loose ball and with the arrival of a clever player like Leonard Tsipa and strong players like Admire Dzukamanja and Lazarus Muhoni, we should be able to get into the groove and create chances for each other.

Q: Which areas of your game do you think you still need to improve on?

A: I feel I still need to work on my temper and my strength.

I tend to get too emotional at times, maybe because I hate to lose.

As for my strength, I am happy it is coming out well because I have been going to the gym for some time now.

Q: How does it feel as soccer star being overlooked for the Warriors training camps under new coach Valinhos?

A: It hurts to know that you are soccer star but you are not being called up to the national team.

What hurts most is that there are some players who have not been playing who have been called up.

I thought at least I would have been called for the training camps so I don't think I will consider the Warriors issue again, I am happy that I represented my country at junior level and I will have to focus on helping Dynamos achieve glory.

But I am now resigned to supporting the guys who will represent us in the World Cup qualifiers.

Q: What is your view of the Warriors given that they have to quickly rebuild under a new coach by June?

A: I think we have some good players who can take us to 2010.

If the resources are there, we can do something but given the time that we have I think we need to bank on the experienced players because national team games are results-oriented.

We cannot compare ourselves to South Africa who are building a new team because they have already qualified as hosts.

But with us we should not emphasise on youngsters only. Yes if someone is 17 years and can give us results, he must play but at the same time if a good player who is 35 can give us results, he too should play.

The building exercise will never end, but our priority should be on qualifying and if we want to really build a new team, it must be a project for the 2014 World Cup but for 2010 let us use the best players available.

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