Online Reporter
Zimpapers Sports Hub
A shift in mentality, not merely tactics, lies behind TelOne’s unexpected rise in this Castle Lager Premier Soccer League season.
Once considered relegation candidates, the Gweru-based outfit have transformed into genuine title contenders — just five months after narrowly avoiding the drop.
At the heart of the turnaround is head coach Herbert “Jompano” Maruwa, who took charge late last season under challenging circumstances.
Maruwa was thriving with Harare City in the Northern Region Soccer League when TelOne approached him, and he inherited a dressing room lacking confidence and belief.
“The team needed a culture change more than anything else,” said Maruwa.
“When I looked at it, the players weren’t too bad. Technically, some could rival even the best in the league, but the mentality was just too negative.
“Everyone in the team had an inferiority complex. They seemed to believe, in their minds, that they were playing for a small club and could lose to anyone.
“It was going to take time to change that, and I told the board to be patient while I worked on shifting the culture. The process was tough, as we had to implement changes whilst still competing in matches. We lost a number of games, but eventually, things started to come together.”
Even top striker Washington Navaya, currently leading the league’s scoring charts with eight goals in 11 appearances, was struggling at the time.
“Just like everyone else, Navaya wasn’t ticking. He lacked confidence and wouldn’t make the right decisions with the ball at his feet,” Maruwa explained.
“We had to be meticulous in addressing all the negativity. Navaya scored just three goals that season and we narrowly avoided relegation.”
Now, TelOne are among the top-scoring teams in the league.
Club president Oscar Nduwure said the transformation has been remarkable.
“I must admit that Maruwa has been the team’s X-factor. Yes, we brought in several players in January, but essentially it’s the cultural shift that has carried us,” he said.
“I still remember the exact words Maruwa told us when we appointed him last year — we needed a shift in mentality. We’re now seeing that week in, week out in the way we play.
“We will continue supporting his vision, and hopefully we can make an impact this year, as we’ve already shown our potential.”
Bongani Ndlovu