TelOne Stars look set to part ways with seasoned mentor Herbert Maruwa after a woeful start to their 2026 Castle Lager Premier Soccer League season.
The Gweru-based outfit are staring a second premiership relegation in the face without a single win after eight matches.
The club’s management, which operates from the parastatal’s head office in Harare summoned Jompano, as the coach is known, to the capital last Monday to explain the mess.
Maruwa stunned the local football scene last year when his charges finished fifth on the log standings, and producing the country’s Soccer Star of the Year Washington Navaya.
But it has not been easy this season as they have collected only three points from a possible 24 at the end of the first quarter of this term.
“Jompano was invited for lunch by the chairman and secretary-general in Harare on Monday. He in fact was already in Harare for the game they lost to Caps United and he stayed back to attend the lunch meeting,” an insider at TelOne confided in New Ziana.
He revealed that the luncheon at an eatery within the Harare Showgrounds was far from delicious for the beleaguered coach.
“The executive set him targets for the next two matches and asked him to gobble up his food and depart as they had urgent business to attend to,” the source added.
The urgent business it turns out was a subsequent bite with veteran coach Luke Masomere who is presently unattached.
“Masomere arrived about 10 minutes after Jompano had left,” the insider, flatly refusing to be named, went on.
“He took up the same seat vacated by Jompano and had lunch ordered for him by the executive.”
No one from the TelOne management was willing to comment on the latest developments.
Another source also ventured that Tel One would conduct a separate interview with a Serbian coach who is presently stationed in Zambia.
“It is unlikely Maruwa will survive into the second half of the season even if the team wins the next two matches. Preparations are afoot for a foreign coach,” hinted the source.
Maruwa has previously coached Dynamos and Black Rhinos and done relatively well at both sides.
Speaking to the paper ahead of the Caps tie which ended 1-0 in favour of the home team at Rufaro, the unassuming tactician had been hopeful of a positive turnaround.
“It is all about confidence which is lacking in the boys because we have a new team after losing several key performers,” Maruwa reasoned, adding:
But after the unpleasant eat-out on Monday there are fears that the Wifi Boys’ next encounter against Herentals at Ascot Stadium, if it fails to produce a home win, could be Maruwa’s last.
The 2026 season has so far claimed two casualties with Thomas Ruzive jettisoned from Triangle after four straight defeats to be replaced by Lloyd Chitembwe who has proceeded to win twice in a row.
Mandla Mpofu was demoted to an assistant role by newly-promoted Agama FC who hired Takaendesa Jongwe.
The latter also managed a vital draw against former champions Simba Bhora after assuming the reins.
