Online Reporter
Ray Bande
Senior Reporter
MANICA Diamonds begin life under coach, Herbert ‘Jompano’ Maruwa today (Friday), when the Mutare Castle Lager Premiership outfit takes on Scottland at Rufaro Stadium in Harare.
The not-so-shiny Gem Boys, who have changed three coaches since the start of the season, have now made a fourth appointment in Hebert Maruwa as head coach after parting ways with promising coach, Patrick Mandizha.
Manica Diamonds have endured a forgettable 2026 season after a poor string of results that saw former sponsors, Zimbabwe Consolidated Diamond Company (ZCDC) pull out of the project due to financial constraints.
The transfer of ownership to businessman, Evans Kamombo, briefly breathed life into the project as the club started posting better results, but it was not long before it reverted to default settings and began dropping points with each passing week.
Thus the latest decision to place Maruwa in charge of the team.
Perhaps Maruwa’s pedigree in turning around struggling sides, just as he did with Black Rhinos and TelOne, will once again help Manica Diamonds survive relegation.
Just over a year after taking charge of TelOne when they were languishing mid-table, the former Dynamos, Black Rhinos and TelOne gaffer transformed the Gweru-based side into a serious Premier Soccer League contender.
Hate him or love him, it was a footballing glow-up of note!
TelOne, affectionately known as the Wi-Fi Boys, at some point sat fourth on the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League standings with 25 points, just seven points behind the then log leaders, MWOS and looking hungrier by the week.
Manica Diamonds chairman, Leslie Chipunza, said they have faith in Maruwa, and good times are set to roll for the Mutare Castle Lager Premiership team.
“He is a master relegation buster. We have faith in him as he is a reputable no nonsense coach. We believe he is the right person for the job given the circumstances that we find ourselves in,” he said.
Even though little will be expected from Maruwa and the team when they face Scottland FC today, upcoming fixtures against ZPC Kariba at Sakubva Stadium next weekend, Chicken Inn away in Bulawayo and CAPS United at Sakubva Stadium will give a clear picture of what the future holds for the Mutare outfit.
Chipunza expressed confidence that the club will survive relegation.
“Relegation is not in our scheme of things. We are definitely going to survive and make the right adjustments off season that will see us being much more competitive next season,” said Chipunza.
In the meantime, for the Manica Diamonds faithful, the former TelOne gaffer, who joins the Evans Kamombo-bankrolled team deep in the relegation zone, is expected to steer the ship to safety.
