Dzoro: “George changed our mentality” as Adu wins May Player of the month gong
Deportivo La Murambinda head coach Lovemore Dzoro has lauded Ghanaian international George Adu for transforming the club’s mentality, saying the midfielder’s arrival sparked the belief that has carried them in the Pacific Storm Eastern Region Soccer League.
Adu was crowned May Pacific Storm Eastern Region Soccer League Player of the Month, becoming the first foreigner to win the award in the competition’s history.
Dzoro credited Adu’s professionalism, work rate and calm influence in the dressing room for shifting the squad from survival mode to genuine contenders, a change he called “the turning point of our season.”
With Adu pulling strings in midfield, Deportivo climbed the table through May, blending grit with composure and earning the individual recognition that mirrors the team’s new mindset.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with Fanzone, Dzoro said Adu’s arrival changed how they play and think. “The arrival of George at Deportivo La Murambinda was a turning point,” he said. “He really changed a lot of things, especially keeping the ball in the half space, and our transitions changed. His biggest achievement is changing our mentality.”
That change is visible every weekend. Adu now drops into pockets, receives under pressure and turns defence into attack with one touch. The half-space became Deportivo’s office and transitions became their weapon.
But Dzoro insists Adu did not do it alone. The Black Stars brotherhood came with him and reshaped the spine of the team.
In the latest standings after 13 weeks, La Murambinda are just three points behind Yadah FC albeit their games in hand.
Alongside Adu, the Murambinda-based side added Ghanaian quartet Andrew Allotey at centre-back, Kofi Sarfo in midfield, left-back Marcelo Azizi and striker Enock Sackey during the 2026 transfer window just before kick-off and together they have pushed Philip Guyo’s team to new heights.
“His impact, he is not alone but with his compatriots the impact is uncommendable. They are really doing well,” Dzoro explained. “As a coach, George taught me that talent without belief equals zero. But belief plus compatriots who are together equals cup runs and league challenges.”
That belief shows in the numbers. Adu has 4 goals and 4 assists in all competitions. Sackey has 6 goals in all competitions, including the strike that forced a 2-2 draw with Yadah FC in the ZIFA Munhumutapa Challenge Cup third round before Deportivo held their nerve 5-3 on penalties to knock the former PSL giants out.
Andrew Allotey has been rock solid at centre-back alongside Clive Mandande, locking the door at the back. Kofi Sarfo controls tempo in central midfield with Norest Marasarinyu, while Marcelo Azizi has made a few cameos from left back and adding width and energy.
Adu and Sackey’s 10 combined goals, Allotey and Mandande’s defensive fortress, Sarfo and Marasarinyu’s midfield control, and Azizi’s energy down the left; that is the formula Dzoro says he is watering daily.
The coach’s message to his Ghanaian players is personal. “So thank you George and thank you compatriots. You came together and planted a seed, then our job now is to water the plant. Deportivo La Murambinda will never look back.”
Adu received the Player of the Month gong with humility, insisting it reflects the group. “It feels like grace to be named Player of the Month for May,” he said, “and I’m grateful to God, my teammates, the team president, the coaches, and the fans for trusting me from day one. This award belongs to one team, one mission, because my 4 Black Stars brothers and the whole squad push me daily and we’re hungry for more.”
Dzoro has watched Adu grow into a big-game player who wants the ball when the crowd is loud and the cup is on the line. “Pressure is a privilege,” Adu said. “Big-game experience helps. Being a young Ghanaian international exposed me to high-pressure environments, so I manage it by staying calm and executing. Whether it’s league or cup, the goal remains the same: do it for God’s glory, deliver for the fans and the club.”
For Dzoro, the lesson is clear and it goes beyond tactics. “What I’ve told them from day one is simple: fight for each other, from keeper to striker, starters to bench, and that is our one team identity. In a tight race you do not win by staring at the table, you win the next 90 minutes, and this group understands that.”
