The ‘Ice-Cream Makers’ have confirmed the availability of their coach ahead of the resumption of the Mainland league on June 13
Azam FC have confirmed coach Aristica Cioba will finally link up with the rest of the squad before the Mainland Premier League returns.
The “Ice-Cream Makers” were among the teams yet to receive their foreign players and coaches just a few days after President John Pombe Magufuli gave the green light for the top-flight to resume.
Azam Information Officer Thabit Zakaria has now revealed their Romanian coach is expected to arrive in Tanzania on June 1 to prepare the team.
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“We finally have good news to tell our fans, since they know very well when the President announced sporting activities can return, we did not have our seven foreign players plus the coach, but the good news now is our coach Aristica [Cioba] will arrive in time after he managed to secure his way to Dar es Salaam,” Zakaria told reporters in Tanzania.
“Romania is yet to open its borders owing to the Covid-19 pandemic but the coach’s representatives have managed to secure his return via Germany [who have opened their borders], and he will cross over on May 31 and board the plane from Frankfurt.
“It is good news because it gives us the chance to welcome our coach before the league resumes and also gives us much-needed strength to put up a good fight for good results.
“Also, all the foreign players who were missing, we have good news because from Zimbabwe because the three players will have to travel on June 1 because the country has confirmed they will end the lockdown on the same date.
“We are working round the clock to make sure the three secure the first flight to Tanzania so they can link up with our team. All of them are key players to our squad and we hope by booking them in the first flight, they will arrive in time to play in the opening match.”
Azam players not in Dar es Salaam include Ghanaian trio of Razak Abalora, Dan Amoa and Yakubu Mohamed, Nicolas Wadada (of Uganda), and three players in Zimbabwe – Never Tigere, Bruce Kangwa and Donald Ngoma.
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On Friday, Tanzania Football Federation (TFF) CEO Almasi Kasongo confirmed the top-flight will resume on June 13.
Before the league took a break, most teams had played 28 matches out of 38, with Simba leading the pack with 71 points.
The Msimbazi-based side is also the defending champions and targeting their third title in a row.
