Online Reporter
Tadious Manyepo
Zimpapers Sports Hub
TELONE president Oscar Nduwure has revealed his board has been having sleepless nights fearing coach Herbert Maruwa would be lost in the chopping-and-changing of technical teams sweeping across the league.
Maruwa has done a tremendous job, transforming TelOne from the whipping boys they were when dodging the chop by a whisker last season to a force good enough to challenge for honours this year. The former Dynamos gaffer has silently moved mountains, after managing to put together a team that is looking threatening to MWOS, Scottland and Simba Bhora’s podium bids.
And after beating Dynamos at their Ascot home last weekend, Maruwa, for the first time in his coaching career, boldly declared his charges were in the championship race.
“Like I said last week that we are now in the race to win the title, I can tell you that we are indeed in it to win it,” said Maruwa. Looking at what we have done as a team since the season started, I have no doubt about my team’s pedigree.There are margins which we need to beat and be firm in the competition.That is what we believe. We have built a strong team with a lot of balance.”
And the words are a source of pride for the TelOne board whose fear of the unknown has been effectively put to bed. Club president Nduwure said:
“Before I can say anything, let me tell you something. As the TelOne board, we spent a lot of time trying to devise ways of retaining our coach Herbert Maruwa seeing that he had transformed our team.
“You know the environment we are operating in, you have someone who shows their potential, everyone will be looking to get them. It’s healthy, very healthy but obviously if you are in that situation, and stand to potentially lose your asset, you naturally become worried,” said Nduwure.
“But we are also a team that can insulate themselves from such maneuvers but to be honest that worry was always lingering around our minds.
“And to then see the coach talking about the championship is massive.We have our own targets that the coach knows. But to see him being involved in title talks speaks volumes about his quality, belief and character which have been the hallmarks of the way the team has been playing.
“We had become used to being punchbags in the league but Maruwa came and changed that. We will give him all the support he needs to achieve his set goals.”
TelOne, with 33 points under their belt, are seven points behind leaders Simba Bhora after 20 games.
After beating sorry giants Dynamos last week, the WiFi Boys face another giant CAPS United tomorrow.
“CAPS United are a big team regardless of whether they are consistent or not. This is a team that can beat anyone any day. Just two weeks ago, they won against Scottland and that shows their pedigree,” added Maruwa.
“We have put a lot of work in training preparing for this game.
“We hope to play according to how we prepared but the match will obviously be tough. This is a competition and we are in it contest. For now, we are taking each game as it comes.”
