SIMBA Bhora coach Joel Luphahla says his team is making progress but remains short of the standards he has set.
The former Warriors star told NewsDay Sport that he has not implemented all of the ideas he hopes will make the Shamva-based team defend their league title.
After a slow start to the new campaign in which they fired blanks in draws against FC Platinum and ZPC Kariba, Luphahla's side has shown signs of improvement in recent weeks.
They have won three of their last four matches, including a convincing come-from-behind 4-1 win over Manica Diamonds at Wadzanayi Stadium on Saturday.
Despite the team's resurgence, Luphahla, who took over from championship-winning coach Tonderai Ndiraya at the start of the season, feels his boys are nowhere near their peak, although he is convinced they are not very far from attaining that.
"I am happy with the progress and we continue working," Luphahla said. "The team is shaping up nicely. It was always going to be difficult coming up with a different philosophy from the championship-winning coach. So, we are trying to have this imprint on them. But it's not going to be easy. It's going to take time. I'd say [after]seven games, we will start to fire on all cylinders and it's looking promising. But we've got difficult games that are coming. I think the first 10 games that we have, the fixtures are just crazy. So, we need to continue taking the game one by one."
Simba Bhora's next league match is away to Chicken Inn on Monday, three days after playing FC Platinum in the Independence Cup final in Gokwe.
They then host log leaders Mwos before travelling to new boys Kwekwe United and will conclude the first 10 rounds of matches with a home game against an unpredictable GreenFuel.
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Against Manica Diamonds, Simba Bhora played arguably their best match of the campaign so far.
Junior Makunike scored a first-half brace to cancel out a Charles Teguru opener.
Tinotenda Meke and Isaskar Gurirab, with his third of the season, were the other scorers in a match where the home side created a glut of chances and could have easily reached a double figure had they been a bit clinical.
Makunike was denied a hat-trick by an offside flag, while substitute Never Tigere missed three good opportunities.
"Nowadays, when the boys get to two or three goals, they tend to relax a little bit. I would have preferred that they were a little bit ruthless in front of goals," Luphahla said.
"But it's also good. I'm a happy coach when we create chances. When we're creating and we're missing, I know that one day we'll put them in. So, I'm happy for the boys that they scored four goals."
It was the first time that Simba Bhora had scored four goals in a league match since their promotion into the premiership two seasons ago.
The latest victory took them to 11 points, three behind early pacesetters Mwos, who continued with their bright start to life in the topflight with a 1-0 win away to Herentals on Sunday.
The Punters are the only other team, together with 10th-placed FC Platinum, yet to taste a defeat after six rounds of matches.
Ngezi Platinum dropped to second position with 13 points following a 2-1 defeat away to TelOne while pre-season favourites Scottland were held to a one-all draw by Yadah to move to third on the log standings with 11 points.
TelOne and Manica Diamonds are tied on 10 points and complete the top six teams on the standings.
Highlanders moved to seventh position with nine points following a one-nil win over Caps United, which continue to sing the blues, just like fellow giants Dynamos that was beaten at home by Chicken Inn.
DeMbare are in 13th position with six points, while Caps United are second from the bottom with four points.
Alarm bells are ringing louder in the two team camps, with their supporters calling for the sacking of respective coaches Lloyd Chigowe and Lloyd Chitembwe.
Matchday seven fixtures
Saturday: GreenFuel v ZPC Kariba (GreenFuel Arena).
Sunday: Manica Diamonds v TelOne (Sakubva), Triangle v Yadah (Gibbo), Caps United v Bikita Minerals (Rufaro).
Monday: Chicken Inn v Simba Bhora (Luveve), Mwos v Dynamos (Ngoni), Kwekwe United v Herentals (Bata), Scottland v FC Platinum (Rufaro), Ngezi Platinum Stars v Highlanders (Baobab).
