Simba SC lead clubs to bring back players as Mainland league looks to resume

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The Mainland clubs have started plans to return their players and coaches from foreign land ahead of league resumption

Simba SC are among the top clubs in Tanzania which have started plans to bring back their foreign players ahead of the Mainland Premier League's resumption

On Thursday, Tanzania President John Pombe Magufuli gave the green light for the top-flight, which was suspended in mid-March owing to the Covid-19 pandemic, to resume on June 1.

“In the [coronavirus pandemic] trends we have been studying, no athlete has died in Tanzania due to the virus,” Magufuli told reporters on Thursday.

“I believe having active games will help in the fight against coronavirus and we have many different disciplines across. Reinstating games will definitely help us in this battle.

“We have different tiers in sports from the top to the lower tiers. I have decided to give the green light for the games to resume from June 1...people have to play.”

Simba, who are chasing a third straight title, have launched plans to bring back key foreign players in Meddie Kagere (Rwanda), Clatous Chama (Zambia), Francis Kahata (Kenya) and Sharaf Shiboub (Sudan).

“We are happy with the decision by the President to resume action and our efforts now are to make sure we get all our foreign players available for the remaining matches,” Simba information officer Haji Mnara is quoted in a signed statement obtained by Goal.

Young Africans (Yanga SC) have also started efforts to bring back their coach Luc Eymael, who travelled to Belgium when the league took a break.

Eymael confirmed to Goal on Friday he had already been contacted by the Jangwani Street-based giants and was ready to return.

“I have talked to the club officials including sponsors GSM and they have confirmed they will send me a ticket to return to Dar es Saalam,” Eymael told Goal.

“I hope safety measures will be put as a priority in and outside the stadia before we resume the season and I am confident we will finish the matches.”

Apart from Eymael, Yanga are also fighting to get back their Kenyan keeper Farouk Shikalo, who returned to Nairobi.

Meanwhile, Azam FC have seven players outside the country - Ghanaian trio Razak Abalora, Daniel Amoa, and Yakubu Mohamed), one player in Uganda (Nicholas Wadada), and three players in Zimbabwe (Never Tigere, Bruce Kangwa, and Donald Ngoma).

Before the break, most teams had played 28 matches out of 38, and defending champions Simba are on top of the table with 71 points after winning 23 matches, drawn two and lost three.

Azam FC, who had played the same number of matches, are second with 54 points after winning 16 games, drawing six and lost as many.

2020-05-22 10:00:02

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