Optimism reigns for Simba coach as new season nears

Dar es Salaam. Simba’s head coach Zoran “Maki” Manojlovic has expressed his optimism that his team will perform well in 2022/23 league season.

The Serb is impressed with how the team has been bolstered to compete both in domestic and international leagues.

Simba, who failed defend the national league title last season, had pitched a camp in Ismailia (Egypt) where they played many pre-season matches.

Manojlovic made the remarks after the team’s arrival at the Julius Nyerere International Airport yesterday.

He said the players were in top shape,but still has a task of sharpen the team’s strength and skills in the remaining few weeks before facing their traditional rivals, Young Africans (Yanga) in the Community Shield.

According to Manojlovic, there are players who were not part of the team’s squad in pre-season raining camp in Egypt due to national team (Taifa Stars) assignment who need to join the team and meet the standard that other players have so far reached.

“I am very happy with the training and commitment of the players while in Egypt. It has been the best as we at least reached our goal. We have another session in Tanzania whereby all players will be in the squad,” said Manojlovic.

Meanwhile, Manojlovic has been impressed with recruitment of Nigerian attacking midfielder Nelson Okwa who can play both wings as well as in midfield, saying he has ability to score and create chances.

He said he has been following Okwa and believes if he will be committed, he will contribute the club’s successes in the league as well as international competitions.

He said Okwa is good at creating chances to score, he scores goals himself in various ways, he is troublesome for the defenders of the opposing team, he can play more than one position in the field, they really needed a player of his type.