Coaches of big guns scratch heads over 2022/23 squads

Dar es Salaam. Tanzania’s football big guns head coaches are now scratching their heads on foreign players to be dropped and included in their first 11 squads for the next edition of the Mainland Premier League as per the Tanzania Football Federation (TFF) rules and regulations.

As per the current league regulations, each team are required to recruit 12 foreign players from whom, only eight are allowed to be fielded in a league match.

Currently, Yanga head coach Nasreddine Nabi is scratching his head on the players who will be in the first 11 of his squad during a match.

The Jangwani Street giants have recruited 12 players including Lazarous Kambole, a Zambian striker who played for Kaizer Chiefs last season, Bernard Morrison, a free agent, and Gael Bigirimana who once played for Newcastle United in the English Premier League.

Other players are Joyce Lomalisa who is a Congolese from Angola’s Sagrada Esperanca and Stephane Aziz K, a Burkinabe attacking midfielder who last season played for Asec Mimosas of Cote d’Ivoire.

The new five faces join those foreign players who featured last season namely Djigui Diarra (Mali), Djuma Shaaban, Yannick Bangala, Heritier Makambo, Fiston Mayele, Jesus Moloko, all from the DR Congo and Khalid Aucho who is from Uganda. As per last season’s performances, Moloko and Makambo were not in top standards due to various technical reasons.

Mkambo was not a regular starter in the first choice team while Moloko was injured and were mostly included after recovery.

Yanga’s player registration aims to strengthen their squad ahead of the next league season as well as the CAF Champions League competition in which they will be struggling to secure good results.

Basically, most of the recruited players will be the challengers of those retained for the next season.

Simba new head coach Zoran Manojlovic is yet to announce foreign players who will be dropped from the team for the next season.

The Msimbazi Street giants have already introduced attacking midfielder Victor Akpan, who played for Coastal Union last season and striker Moses Phiri who is from Zambian side Zanaco.

On the list are Augustine Okrah who is from Asante Kotoko of Ghana and Mohamed Quattara from Ivory Coast.

The club is also planning to recruit Congolese striker Cesar Manzoki who played for Uganda’s Vipers FC and Nelson Okwa who featured for Rivers United of Nigeria.

The players are expected to join Joash Onyango, (Kenya), Chris Mugalu, Henoc Inonga Baka (DR Congo), Sadio Kanoute (Mali), Clatous Chama (Zambia), Meddie Kagere (Rwanda), Taddeo Lwanga (Uganda), Pape Ousmane Sakho (Senegal) and Malawian Peter Banda.

Manojlovic will have to drop two players or one if they will not finalize Manzoki’s deal.

For his part, Azam FC head coach Abdihamid Moallin will have to drop two foreign players to remain with 12 as per the regulations.

Azam FC have so far recruited Ivorian attacking midfielders Kipre Junior and Tape Edinho while Nigerian Isah Ndala brings a new competition in the midfield.

The team have also recruited Malickou Ndoye, a central defender from Senegalese side Teungueth FC, Ali Ahamada who is a goalkeeper from Comoro and James Akaminko, a Ghanaian attacking midfielder.

The club have other foreign players namely Bruce Kangwa, Prince Dube, Never Tigere, both from Zimbabwe; Rodgers Kola, Charles Zulu, Paul Katema (Zambia); Idris Mbombo (DRC); Daniel Amoah (Ghana) and Kenyan Kenneth Muguna.