Online Reporter
Onward Gangata
Zimpapers Sports Hub
HERBERT “Jompano” Maruwa’s position as the head coach of Castle Lager Premier Soccer League side TelOne has remained volatile amid indications that his tenure at the club has divided opinion at the WI-FI Boys.
This follows an indifferent start to the season by TelOne, with the team win-less in nine outings, their worst run since he took charge in May 2024 and guided them to their best campaign last year — a fifth-place finish.
On Saturday, TelOne slumped to a new low when they recorded their fifth home defeat in a 1-0 loss to Herentals at Ascot.
The result prompted a section of the supporters into a protest, calling for Maruwa’s head. Maruwa has so far received the backing of the club’s chefs. Despite publicly backing the embattled coach, the TelOne executive, however, also appears to have been rattled by the win-less run. Zimpapers Sports Hub understands that a recent meeting by the club’s bosses discussed the possibility of parting ways with the coach.
However, no action has yet been taken amid concerns that there is a lack of quality coaches available on the market, to step up as adequate replacements.
“The fans have every right to protest and express their dissatisfaction with the results like they did on Saturday,” club president Oscah Nduwure said.
“We are equally concerned and worried at the same time by the results because it tarnishes our brand to be posting such poor results.
“However, we have not made any decision on parting ways with the coach contrary to rumours circulating about us engaging certain coaches, those remain rumours.”
While TelOne have publicly backed Maruwa, sources says that behind the scenes, groundwork for his replacement has already begun. Experienced coach, Luke Masomere and former ZIFA technical director, Wilson Mtekede, have had their names thrown into the mix.
Masomere is currently unattached since being sacked by Hardrock while Mutekede is on the books of MWOS, where he is technical director.
Masomere was in attendance at TelOne’s last home game against Herentals, adding to speculation about the rumours linking him with the Gweru outfit.
But Nduwure maintained that TelOne are pulling all the stops to try and arrest the free fall.
He revealed that recently they engaged a sports scientist and a sports psychologist to try and come to the root cause of the dip in form.
