TELONE have moved to de-escalate expectations for the upcoming Castle Lager Premier Soccer League season, with club president Oscah Nduwure confirming they will not pressure coach Herbert Maruwa for title glory.
Despite a flirtation with the championship last year, the WiFi Boys are opting for a patience approach, aiming to solidify their foundation before making a sustained charge for the title in the coming years.
Last season was a rollercoaster for TelOne.
At one point, Maruwa boldly declared his side was going for the championship.
However, a late-season stumble saw them finish fifth, 15 points adrift of eventual champions Scottland.
While some might see this as a missed opportunity, Nduwure views it as part of a clear upward trend.
- Inside Sport: Local stadiums in urgent need of attention
- Stix in winning start
- Bullets ease relegation fears
- FC Platinum move six points clear
Keep Reading
“The target is to improve and build from last season,” he told NewsDay Sport yesterday.
“We finished fifth last season, so anything above that would be good for us.
“Remember, we finished 10th in the previous season, so we are happy with the trajectory we are in.
“If we can manage to win the league title this year, it would be a bonus for us.”
The veteran administrator is wary of the over-ambition trap that often plagues well-resourced teams like TelOne.
“What we don’t want to do is put unnecessary pressure on the coach who is in the process of building his squad.
“We are giving him time, and we will start to demand the league in the next year or two.”
The biggest challenge facing Maruwa this term is the departure of talismanic striker Washington Navaya.
The reigning Soccer Star of the Year and Golden Boot winner has opted to join newcomers Hardrock.
Losing a 17-goal-a-season striker is enough to cripple most mid-table teams, but Nduwure believes the engine that powered Navaya is still intact.
“We managed to keep the core of the squad... the players who were behind Navaya’s good run,” he said.
“The players who worked hard to make sure that Navaya shone the way he did, providing assists are still with us.
“We expect someone to emerge from the shadows to carry on with what Navaya did for us.”
To address the inconsistency of the previous campaign, TelOne have bolstered their squad with six new signings.
The signing of players such as Innocent Mucheneka, Jerry Chipangura and goalkeeper Admore Mawere, who was previously based in Spain, suggests that while the president is preaching patience, the squad is built for a fight.
Other players who have joined are goalkeeper Takudzwa Chikosi, midfielder Chelsea Nyakope and striker Farai Matatu.
The sincerity of TelOne’s “no pressure” stance will be tested immediately.
They were handed a brutal opening schedule that reads like a nightmare.
A clash with traditional giants Dynamos is followed immediately by a showdown with last year’s silver medalists, MWOS.
The daunting opening schedule continues with a clash against 2024 champions Simba Bhora, before they face off with former champions FC Platinum while reigning champions Scottland lie in wait on matchday five.
It’s a baptism of fire that will prove whether TelOne are truly building a dynasty or just buffering.
