End of the road for Saul Chaminuka at TelOne FC

TelOne will not face Dynamos in the first round of the 2026 Chibuku Super Cup at Rufaro Stadium this Sunday under Saul Chaminuka, amid revelations that the nomadic coach has been sacked by the WiFi Boys.

Chaminuka joined the Gweru-based side in May, replacing Herbert Maruwa. TelOne’s quest to avoid relegation under the tutelage of Chaminuka has not gone according to plan, and they have won just one of their last six matches.

The last straw, according to sources at TelOne who spoke to Fanzone, was TelOne’s elimination from the Munhumutapa Challenge Cup following defeat to Blanket Mine. The sources also revealed that Joel Luphahla, who was shown the exit door at FC Platinum, is set to take over.

“After lengthy discussions last night, the club finally showed Saul Chaminuka the exit door because there is just no confidence in his ability to save us from relegation anymore. Barring any late changes, Joel Luphahla will take over,” said the source.

Some football stakeholders were curious to see what would have happened had Chaminuka led TelOne against Dynamos, after the veteran coach reported the Harare giants to FIFA, leading to their exclusion from the CAF Confederation Cup.

Apart from struggling to win as the club wanted, Chaminuka helped the Gweru side beat Highlanders and Caps United at Ascot, their only wins at home this season.

CAN JOEL LUPHAHLA LIFT TELONE FC?

Joel Luphahla during a match at Rufaro Stadium. Picture by Libertino

For Joel Luphahla, this will be a return to Gweru, at a team he helped get promoted in 2019.

However, he never really got to enjoy his time at the club in the PSL due to lacking a CAF A Licence. Luphahla now has another chance to reconnect with the WiFi Boys.

But his most recent record at FC Platinum does not make for good reading, as the team regressed into an ordinary side under his leadership.

Luphahla left the former champions last month in 11th place, not far from the relegation zone. Judging by where he left FC Platinum, it will be interesting to see how he fares with TelOne in the league’s home stretch.

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