The club’s top scorer admits it will be difficult to play minus the fans when the top-flight resumes from June 1
Simba SC striker Meddie Kagere has confessed they will miss the support of their fans when the Mainland Premier League resumes.
The Tanzanian top-flight is set to return from June 1 after they got the green light from President John Pombe Magufuli last week.
The Rwandan striker became the first foreign player to arrive in the Simba camp as they are set to resume training on Wednesday.
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Simba, who are chasing a third straight title, were among the teams whose foreign players had travelled to their native countries when the league was halted in mid-March owing to the coronavirus pandemic.
Speaking on landing in Dar es Salaam from Kigali, Kagere who is the club’s top scorer this season, admitted the players will have a tough time playing their remaining matches minus their fans.
“We always lead with the number of fans who come to watch our matches and it is very unfortunate that they will not be able to come in large numbers owing to the Covid-19 pandemic,” Kagere told the club’s official website.
“We always love seeing the fans flocking to the stadia to support us, they have always pushed us to do better even when we are struggling in a match, I have no words to explain this, but we will miss them, I will surely miss the fans.
“I don’t imagine I will also miss how they sing my name and celebrate when I score a goal, I have never seen such a good cheering group, we cannot do anything now because health rules will not allow them to come in large numbers.”
Kagere has also admitted he will need at least two matches to regain his fitness after staying in the cold without action since March.
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“I think myself and the squad will need at least two to three matches to get our body back to shape, so the fans should understand that we have not played for the last months and it is not easy to just come into a game and produce your former display,” Kagere continued.
Simba will be chasing for a third straight title with the remaining round of matches set to be played in two locations – Mwanza and Dar es Salaam.
The venues in Dar es Salaam include Azam Complex, Uhuru Stadium and the National Stadium while in Mwanza, matches will be staged at CCM Kirumba Stadium and Nyamagana Stadium.
