How Mayele's exit propelled Yanga into spotlight as Aziz Ki shakes up team dynamics

Dar es Salaam. Azam FC, who have been busy with signings even while the Tanzania Mainland League was ongoing, are not followed very closely, and thus they conduct their affairs without much pressure from the outside.

Headlines from various sports news sources this week have been dominated by news of player transfers in the country.

These reports are mainly on who is leaving and who is joining, especially in the big clubs of Yanga and Simba.

There have been rumours that players Stephane Aziz KI of Yanga and Clatous Chama of Simba, who have been key players in their clubs, will not renew their contracts.

Aziz Ki is the top scorer and has significantly contributed to Yanga winning this season’s Premier League title and the CRDB Federation Cup, and these rumours are greatly alarming the team's fans.

However, it is not the first time these teams have lost their stars, as Simba once lost Chama, and life went on, although some people say the team swayed when he joined RS Berkane of Morocco.

I think the big problem for Simba was failing to have a plan to fill the gaps left by Chama and Luis Miquissone, who joined Al Ahly of Egypt.

Last season, Yanga lost their leading striker, Fiston Kalala Mayele, who won the Premier League title, the CRDB Federation Cup, the Community Shield, and a runner-up medal in the CAF Confederation Cup.

Mayele also won the Best Player of the Season Award, Co-Top Scorer of the Season Award, and Top Scorer of the CAF Confederation Cup Award.

The club’s series of successes and Mayele's achievements explain why his transfer was widely discussed, not only in Tanzania but also beyond its borders.

After those achievements, clubs from Africa and Asia came knocking at Yanga's door, seeking the signature of that star player. It could be possible that Yanga was undone by their achievements.

Remember, this happened while Yanga had already parted ways with their head coach, who had been part of their successes, the Tunisian Nasredeen Nabi, whose position was taken by the Argentine Miguel Gamondi.

It's common for teams when they reach the pinnacle of success to find themselves in a situation where players and even members of the coaching staff are hunted by many clubs with financial muscle and a thirst for success.

After the UEFA Champions League final between FC Porto of Portugal and Monaco of France in 2004, those clubs lost their key players and members of their coaching staff.

Chelsea sacked Coach Jose Mourinho, who led Porto to win the title with a 3-0 victory in that final, while also signing Didier Drogba from Monaco.

For Mayele, some wished he left, especially rivals due to his contribution to Yanga, while the Jangwani Street heavyweight fans pleaded and prayed that he stay after two seasons because of his importance to the giants and his captivating style of celebrating as a bonus.

Football is a game decided by goals, and Mayele decided many games with his goals that rescued Yanga.

You could say it was luck or a strategy by the coaching staff, considering his consistency and his escape from major injuries during his two league seasons at the club, for which he scored 33 goals.

You wonder what would have happened to the Wanajangwani (Yanga) if Mayele had picked up serious injuries, especially early in the season before Kennedy Musonda's arrival during the mid-season transfer window.

You wonder if what happened to the Zambian Moses Phiri at Simba had happened to Mayele, would the championship still be theirs (Yanga)?

However, Yanga had a deep squad, but the finishing line heavily relied on Mayele.

It's not surprising to see Yanga taking Mayele as a standout player in their team because they didn't know another goal-getter.

Even when they brought in their former dangerous striker, Heritier Makambo, the latter still looked like a rusty gun.

With such a narrow range of finishers, I doubt even Coach Nabi would have accepted entering a third season under the pressure of relying on one striker, Mayele.

Yanga would have had to enter the transfer market to find a striker of Mayele's calibre or else look for wingers or attacking midfielders capable of scoring at least 10 goals per season.

Up to now, I believe Yanga is still under immense pressure to find a player or players to inherit Mayele's responsibilities.

No one expected the successor to the Golden Boot winner to be a player who was present during Mayele's time. Remember, Feisal Salum, who was next in line, left to join Azam FC.

Certainly, Mayele benefited from his successes, or, let's say, his efforts at Jangwani. Financially, he has reached a good place, where many footballers aspire to be professional players.

After Mayele left, Yanga tried to find strikers without getting the right replacement for Mayele, as Hafiz Konkon from Ghana was disappointed, and even the local player, Mzize, hadn't reached Mayele's level.

But what Yanga wanted were goals from midfielders like Maxi Nzengeli, Mudathir Yahya, Pacome Zouzoua, and Aziz Ki himself.

It's the same thing as with Mayele that could trouble Yanga this season when it comes to the issue of Aziz Ki. Their president, Eng Hesi Said, said they won't fail to retain any of the player they want.

However, the situation with Aziz Ki is tricky because the player has finished his contract, so if he decides to leave, the club won't get anything except the good memories of the entertainment he showed on the pitch, the trophies in the cabinet, and the championship money in the account.

Whether Aziz Ki stays or leaves, Yanga will remain Yanga. Surely, the club’s management is prepared for both scenarios, because retaining him is also a test, indeed a mathematical one.

You and I can't know his goals and what his management wants, both in football and financially. Even their rivals, Simba, find themselves in the same situation.

No leader wants to let go of players who contribute to the team, and no leader likes not to take money to support the team either.

Despite their influential talents, the club leaders will measure their suits to match the size of the fabric. That is everyday life in football clubs. People come and go, but life goes on.