Online Reporter
Tadious Manyepo
Zimpapers Sports Hub
TELONE were going straight down the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League drain until the appointment of Herbert “Jompano” Maruwa last season.
The former Black Rhinos and Dynamos coach was on a roll with Northern Region Soccer League side Harare City, who were yet to taste defeat under his watch.
But inheriting a clueless Wi-Fi Boys’ dressing room, whose characters had become a passive punching bag for the rest of the Premiership actors, was always going to be difficult.
Although club president Oscar Nduwure and his board gave him some reassurances, it seemed not to work, as Maruwa appeared to be a lamb being driven straight into the slaughter room.
However, a frank conversation between the parties in which Maruwa pointed out what he thought was the challenge calmed down the nerves across the TelOne system.
“The team needed a culture change more than anything else,” said Maruwa.
“When I looked at it, the players were not too bad. Technically, there were some who could rival even the best in the league, but the mentality was just too negative.
“Everyone in the team had that inferiority complex. They always seemed to agree, in their minds, that they were playing for a small team and they could lose games to anyone.
“It was going to take time to change that and I told the board to be patient as I tried to change the culture at the club. The process was hard as we had to do it while playing the games. We lost a glut of them, but eventually, things started working.”
Even the fiercest striker in the league right now, Washington Navaya, who has scored eight goals in 10 outings, was part of that dressing room.
“Just like everyone else, Navaya was not ticking. He had no confidence and would not make the right decisions with the ball on his feet,” added Maruwa.
“We had to be meticulous in trying to change all the negativity. Navaya scored three goals that season, and we survived relegation.”
And five months after being one of the main subjects in the relegation talks, TelOne are one of the key elements forming the basis of title talks this season.
They are fifth on the log with 16 points, six below leaders MWOS, who they face at Ngoni tomorrow.
The Wi-Fi Boys are firing from all cylinders with their deadly attack fronted by Navaya, who has so far scored more goals in the first 10 games than the collective numbers he achieved in his entire top-flight career.
They have scored the highest number of goals in the league (13) and are widely being considered as one of the dark horses in the title mix.
Nduwure said his board is shocked, albeit pleasantly, with the way Maruwa has transformed their club into a big force.
“I should admit that Maruwa has been the team’s X-Factor. Yes, we bought several players in January but basically, it is a change in our culture that has been carrying us along,” said Nduwure.
“I still remember the exact words that Maruwa told us when we appointed him last year. We needed a shift in mentality and we can see exactly that in the way we are playing week in and week out.
“We will keep on supporting his vision and hopefully we can make an impact this year as we have already shown our potential.”
Maruwa’s charges are hugely tipped to finally hand The Punters their first defeat of the season.
The newcomers are still unbeaten, 10 games into the season, but they narrowly escaped defeat courtesy of some controversial officiating when they settled for a 1-1 draw against Manica Diamonds at Ngoni last week.
With claims that the log leaders are being aided by referees in their cause, TelOne will be praying for a level playing field tomorrow, which is also a huge test for MWOS’ pedigree to remain atop the Premiership standings.
