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Tacticians give thumbs-up to selection of Taifa Stars squad
Taifa Stars head coach Adel Amrouche during the team’s past training session. PHOTO | FILE
What you need to know:
- Stars are in group F and need three points in order to join the leaders, Algeria, ahead of the Afcon finals in Ivory Coast.
Dar es Salaam. Football tacticians in the country have given the thumb up to the selection of the national team (Taifa Stars) ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifier against Algeria on September 17 in Algiers.
However, various football pundits have questioned the decision of Taifa Stars head coach Adel Amrouche to drop three key players, namely Feisal "Fei Toto" Salum, who plays for Azam FC, and two Simba players, Shomari Kapombe and Mohammed "Tshabalala" Hussein.
The pundits are of the views that the three players have so far shown good standards in the ongoing Mainland Tanzania Premier League.
However, a veteran football tactician in the country, Abdallah "King Mputa" Kibadeni, faulted the pundits by saying that the head coach and his assistants are the ones with the mandate of selecting a squad of their own choice without being intervened.
Kibadeni said Amrouche had seen the players last season, and what he has done should remain final.
“First, the head coach is also the head of the technical bench and knows who should feature in his squad. He has seen the players in the league as well as in international competitions; we need to support him and not to challenge what he does.
“Football pundits should wait for results before starting to comment. At present, you cannot challenge him as he is yet to play in the Afcon match against Algeria. What will you say if he wins the encounter? Let’s be cool and support him," said Kibadeni.
The former Simba talisman admitted that the three players are good and fit for Taifa Stars, but added that the coach must have had his reasons to drop them.
"I had been in the position of the head coach several times, and various football fans and pundits used to challenge my selection, but I stood by my decision as per my coaching rules and regulations. As a technician, you are not supposed to be interfered with your decisions," he said.
Another coach, Abel Mtweve, also appealed to football fans and pundits to give Amrouche a chance to do his job as per coaching career guidelines.
"He has called up the players who are fit for the away match. We believe the players will fight hard and come out with the best result. They do well in various matches," said Mtweve.
Stars are in group F and need three points in order to join the leaders, Algeria, ahead of the Afcon finals in Ivory Coast.
Algeria have so far collected 15 points, while Stars are second with seven points. Other teams in the group are Uganda, with four points, and Niger with two points. If Stars win over Algeria, they will book space in the Afcon finals next year.
The selected players are goalkeepers: Beno Kakolanya (Singida FG), Metacha Mnata (Yanga) and Erick Johora (Geita Gold).
Defenders: Bakari Mwamnyeto (Yanga), Ibrahim Bacca (Yanga), Dickson Job (Yanga), Kennedy Juma (Simba), Abdi Banda (Richards Bay FC, South Africa) and Novatus Miroshi (Zulte Waregem, Belgium).
Midfielders: Mzamiru Yassin (Simba), Jonas Mkude (Yanga), Abdulmalik Zakaria (Namungo), Sospeter Bajana (Azam), Himid Mao (Tala’ea El Gaish, Egypt), Mudathir Yahya (Yanga), Haji Mnoga (Aldershot Town, England) and Lameck Lawi (Coastal Union).
Strikers: Clement Mzize (Yanga), Mbwana Samatta (Paok FC, Greece), Ben Starkie (Basford United, England), Simon Msuva (JS Kabyline, Algeria), Kibu Denis (Simba) and John Bocco (Simba).
