One day, Zambian Clatous Chama will join Yanga
What you need to know:
- Chama introduced skills that were unfamiliar in our league. He displays remarkable composure in the final third. He delivers accurate assists, and he knows how to score as well.
I consistently say this and will continue to believe it every day.
Chama is a classic player who has set the standard of excellence in the Tanzania Mainland Premier League.
It is an undeniable fact that the Zambian has now been in a lacklustre performance.
He is not at the level of excellence he was three years ago, but he still remains the benchmark for any top player coming to Tanzania.
It is like this: in Tanzanian football, to be recognised as a good player necessitates a comparison to Chama.
To earn such recognition, a player must be as good as or better than Chama.
That is why, when the Burkinabe attacking midfielder Stephane Aziz Ki signed and began playing for Yanga, he was being compared to Clatous Chama.
Some believe that Aziz Ki is better than Chama, while others think that the Burkinabe is as good as Chama.
And there are those who believe he still hasn't reached the level of Chama, who once played for RS Berkane of Morocco.
When Pacome Zouzoua was signed by Yanga SC and started playing, he too began to be compared to Chama.
There are those who believe that Pacome is better than Chama.
Everyone holds their own beliefs, but my point here is that in order to be considered the best player, you have to be compared to Chama.
Why? It is because, when Chama was at his best, he was considered the most brilliant player to have ever played in Tanzania.
Chama introduced skills that were unfamiliar in our league. He displays remarkable composure in the final third. He delivers accurate assists, and he knows how to score as well.
He secured many positive outcomes for Simba in challenging international matches, which is why we say there is only one Chama.
In situations where many players might be in a hurry, Chama would calmly execute something extraordinary without haste.
Chama's unwavering seriousness and intelligence on the field have consistently captured Yanga's interest in signing him, even if only for a single season.
Every season, there have been rumours that Chama might join Yanga.
Do you think those rumours are a lie? Not at all. It's true that Yanga will indeed sign Chama one day.
Clatous Chama in action in the field. PHOTO | FILE
It echoes the tale of Salum Aboubakar 'Sure Boy' during his time at Azam FC, where his name was often on everyone's lips, stirring discussions and speculation.
It was rumoured that, while he played for Azam FC, his true allegiance lay with Yanga.
As fate would have it, he eventually made the move to join Yanga.
It resembles the rumours surrounding Haruna Niyonzima during his tenure at Yanga.
Speculation circulated that he might eventually make the switch to Simba one day.
Indeed, Simba did express interest in him, but their attempts to acquire him were hindered by the financial prowess of sponsor Yusuf Manji during that period.
When Yanga faced financial instability, Niyonzima indeed made the decision to join Simba.
Such is the nature of the football market. Circumstances can prompt unexpected moves.
Indeed, it's not uncommon to find players representing certain teams while rumours swirl about potential moves to others.
It is like the speculation surrounding Kylian Mbappe's potential move to Real Madrid, which has been ongoing for some time.
And now, with his departure from PSG, it seems that the rumours might indeed come to fruition as he potentially joins Real Madrid next season.
That's why I continue to believe that Chama might play for Yanga one day.
Indeed, there are numerous factors that lend credence to this belief.
The first reason stems from a consensus among some Simba fans who recognise the fact that for the club to move forward, they must acknowledge that Chama's tenure will eventually come to an end.
While fans may have embraced the notion of allowing Chama to pursue opportunities elsewhere, whether the club leaders will ultimately agree remains uncertain.
It's a wait-and-see situation.
The second reason revolves around the possibility that Simba may not be willing to offer Chama the same lucrative terms as they did in previous years.
Simba fans perceive a decline in his contributions to the team, which could influence the club's financial decisions regarding his contract.
So, even if Simba were to offer Chama a new contract, they wouldn't offer him much money.
Would he accept to sign for less? It's difficult.
At the end of the day, Chama is aware that the biggest paycheck he can get domestically is by moving to Yanga.
It is true that Yanga could offer him more money than he could get at Simba.
Indeed, this leads me to believe that Chama might make some tough decisions.
All in all, it's evident that Yanga holds an interest in potentially adding Chama to their squad in the future.
Despite already having players like Pacome and Aziz Ki, Yanga recognise the value Chama could bring to their squad from a technical perspective.
Everyone should hold onto what they believe, but my conviction that Chama might eventually play for Yanga is valid. With the unfolding dynamics, it's conceivable that this scenario could materialise sooner rather than later.
