Simba Bhora has waved Emmanuel Ziocha goodbye as he leaves the club together with several other key players. The club’s conveyor belt of talent sales has rolled on once again.
The 2024 Castle Lager Premier Soccer League champions have confirmed the departure of midfield general Emmanuel Ziocha and several other key players as preparations for the 2026 season begin, underlining another major reset at the Shamva-based club.
Ziocha, a 2025 Soccer Star of the Year award finalist and statistically one of the most influential midfielders of the 2025 campaign, has completed a move to champions Scottland FC. Simba Bhora confirmed the transfer in a brief statement, noting that the deal was concluded at an undisclosed fee.
“The club can confirm that Emmanuel Ziocha has joined Scottland FC at an undisclosed transfer fee. We extend our gratitude to Ziocha for his contributions and wish him well in his future career.”
More exits follow
Ziocha is not the only name heading for the exit door.
The club has also confirmed:
Donald Mudadi has joined Hardrock FC after Simba Bhora accepted a transfer offer.
Isaskar Gurirab has moved to Scottland FC, again for an undisclosed fee.
Junior Makunike has completed a transfer to Hardrock FC, ending a two-season stay with the champions.
Boid Mutukure is also leaving after completing a move to Hardrock FC following an agreed transfer fee between the two clubs. The Shamva-based champions confirmed:
“The club extends its gratitude to Boid Mutukure for his services and wishes him well in his future endeavors.”
In each case, Simba Bhora thanked the players for their service and wished them well, but the growing list of departures paints a familiar picture.
Another rebuild, same questions
This latest clear-out means Simba Bhora are facing yet another rebuild, barely two seasons after lifting their maiden PSL title in 2024.
Following that historic triumph, the club cashed in on more than a dozen key players, including Walter Musona, Tymon Machope and Mthokozisi Msebe, while title-winning coach Tonderayi Ndiraya also departed. Joel Luphahla stepped in, rebuilt the squad, and guided Simba Bhora to a respectable third-place finish.
Now Luphahla is gone too.
In his place comes Mandla Mpofu, another former Highlanders coach, tasked with starting afresh once more. He will be assisted by Philani Mabhena, with Energy “Gokwe” Murambadoro appointed as the new goalkeepers’ coach and Brighton Chandisaita taking charge of strength and conditioning.
Business model or sporting ambition?
From the outside, Simba Bhora’s strategy is becoming increasingly clear, and increasingly divisive.
On one hand, the club continues to identify, polish and sell top talent, a model that keeps the books healthy in a league where financial survival is often the real battle. On the other, sustained success on the pitch remains elusive.
Each time a core begins to form, the best performers are moved on in the next transfer window. For supporters dreaming of dominance rather than balance sheets, the cycle feels painfully familiar, flashes of brilliance, followed by dismantling and restart.
It is a pattern that recalls clubs who prioritise trading over trophies: exciting football, promising projects, but little continuity.
What next for Simba Bhora?
The big question heading into the 2026 Castle Lager PSL season is whether this rebuild will finally come with stability. Can Mandla Mpofu assemble a squad capable not just of competing, but of staying together long enough to challenge consistently?
Simba Bhora have shown they can win the league. They have also shown they are willing sellers. Whether those two realities can ever truly coexist will define their next chapter.
For now, one thing is certain: Ziocha’s exit is not just another transfer — it is another reminder that at Simba Bhora, change is the only constant
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