Online Reporter
Zimpapers Sports Hub
JOEL LUPHAHLA is back in management, this time in charge of TelOne after the club parted ways with coach Saul Chaminuka.
Luphahla has been charged with saving TelOne from relegation in the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League.
But his immediate challenge is a Chibuku Super Cup first round clash against holders Dynamos at Rufaro on Sunday.
But for former Zimbabwe international winger Luphahla it is the “Houdini Act,’’ which he has to perform in the league, which will be uppermost in his mind.
The WI-FI Boys confirmed the developments at their club via a statement yesterday, with Chaminuka’s last game in charge being the Munhumutapa Round of 32 upset defeat by Central Region Soccer League outfit Blanket Mine last Sunday.
“Luphahla returns to the club he guided to the 2018 Central Region Division One title and top-flight promotion, bringing a wealth of experience and familiar expertise back to the team,” TelOne said in a statement yesterday.
Luphahla’s return to TelOne comes just weeks after he had been fired by former champions FC Platinum.
The Zvishavane platinum miners parted ways with Luphahla and his technical team by mutual consent on July 28, with South African Thabo Senong appointed as his replacement.
Before his move to FC Platinum, Luphahla had enjoyed a successful spell at Simba Bhora, guiding the Shamva side to a third-place finish in the 2025 Premiership season.
His return to TelOne will mark a full-circle moment for the coach.
After guiding the club to promotion in 2018, he did not take charge of the club’s maiden top-flight campaign as head coach after the club had to make changes to comply with coaching qualification requirements.
Zimpapers Sports Hub understands that TelOne’s major goal is to survive relegation and that the decision to separate with Chaminuka had already been made, with negotiations for mutual separation having taken longer.
“TelOne Football Club and Head Coach Saul Chaminuka have mutually agreed to part ways, effective immediately, following strategic discussions between both parties,” TelOne said.
“The club extends its sincere gratitude to coach Chaminuka for his service to the team. We wish him the very best in his future endeavours.”
This becomes the second consecutive year that Chaminuka has taken over a relegation-threatened club and still been axed before the mission is over.
It was the same case with the nomadic coach at Dynamos last year.
