Online Reporter
Onward Gangata [email protected]
SAUL Chaminuka remains in charge at relegation-threatened TelOne despite rumours that he was fired by the club.
On Monday, the rumour mill was in full throttle with the news that the veteran gaffer had been relieved from his duties.
However, as of yesterday, Chaminuka was still in charge at the Wifi Boys and even conducted training sessions with the club.
He is likely to be on the bench this afternoon for the Chibuku Super Cup preliminary round tie against Triangle at Mandava Stadium.
This will most probably be his last match in charge of the team.
Zimpapers Sports Hub understands that the club is working in the background to try and find a way for both parties to go their separate ways.
Sources close to ongoings confided in this publication that a decision has been made to let the coach go.
“As a corporate, TelOne operates differently from other clubs; they do not just fire the coach like that,” said the source.
“Since he has a contract with the club, negotiations are taking place to find a way out as both parties have come to an agreement that things are not working out.”
Chaminuka joined TelOne in May, replacing Hebert Maruwa following a spate of poor results.
His coming in has not changed the Gweru side’s fortunes as they remain 16th on the table with eight games to go.
The seasoned coach has been in charge of 16 matches, managing just 14 points.
As reported by this publication on Friday, the former Buffaloes, Black Rhinos and Dynamos coach was given a two-match ultimatum.
He had the Caps United and Herentals match to save his job; however, the 2-0 loss against the Students sealed his fate.
A search for a new coach has already begun, with former Warriors winger Joel Luphahla leading the race to take over.
Luphahla is reported to be keen on a return to Gweru to relaunch his coaching career after his disappointing tenure at FC Platinum.
The former Simba Bhora coach was sacked by the former champions last week and replaced by South African Thabo Senong.
Luphahla has previously coached TelOne, having guided the side to promotion into the Premier Soccer League in 2018.
He was also part of the technical team in the Wifi Boys’ debut season in 2019.
Several other coaches are reported to have expressed interest in joining the Gweru side.
Efforts to get a comment from the club yielded no results as club president Oscah Nduwure was not reachable.
Coaches are failing to turn around fortunes at TelOne. The common denominator to this failure is the team and not the coaches. So who must be fired?