The Taifa Stars assistant coach reveals why their captain and the midfielder are still missing from the squad to face the Flames
Tanzania national team assistant coach Juma Mgunda has revealed the reason Mbwana Samatta and Simon Msuva have not reported to camp ahead of the friendly against Malawi on Sunday.
The Taifa Stars will welcome the Flames at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium as part of their preparations for the upcoming World Cup qualifying matches against DR Congo, Benin, and Madagascar.
Goal exclusively reported on Tuesday that striker Samatta who features for Fenerbahce in Turkey and attacking midfielder Simon Msuva of Wydad Casablanca in Morocco were missing from camp as the team started preparations for the friendly on Monday.
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Mgunda has now explained to Goal Samatta’s absence has been occasioned by family issues he is attending in Tanzania while Msuva is yet to arrive in the country from Morocco as his team Wydad have a Caf Champions League fixture.
What has been said?
“Mbwana [Samatta] is already in the country but he has a small problem with family which he is sorting out and then we will have him in camp in the next one or two days, the good thing is that he is already in the country so there is nothing to worry about,” Mgunda told Goal.
“In regards to Simon [Msuva] his team Wydad have a game in the Champions League and so we hope after they play the game he will be able to join us, there is still much time for him to come, we expect him in camp in the next two or three days.”
On how the players responded to training on Monday, Mgunda said: “We have started training well, we started training on Monday and everything is okay, and it is good to say the morale in camp is very positive, and the players are looking sharp and ready and this is because of these players are coming from teams that are active in the local league.
“So if you look at the training we did, we did not have any issues with the players technically as they are understanding each other very well and pushing themselves, and it is good to say the start was positive and they are looking forward to Sunday’s game.”
On the choice of playing against Malawi, Mgunda explained: “It will be a good friendly, it has been long since we played against them [Malawi], but we have always followed them and we know they are not an easy team, I feel the friendly will be good for us, it will give us the opportunity to check some of the new players we have in the team.”
Who else is in the squad?
Tanzania squad: Aishi Manula (Simba), Metacha Mnata (Young Africans), Juma Kaseja (KMC). Shomari Kapombe (Simba), Israel Mwenda (KMC), Mohamed Hussein (Simba), Erasto Nyoni (Simba), Bakari Mwamnyeto (Young Africans), Kennedy Juma (Simba), Dickson Job (Young Africans), and Nickson Kibabage (Youssoufla FC-Morocco).
Others are Simon Msuva (Wydad Casablanca-Morocco), Mudathir Yahya (Azam FC). Mzamiru Yassin (Simba), Feisal Salum (Young Africans), Salum Abubakar (Azam), Braison Nkulula (Azam), Iddy Suleiman (Azam), Mbwana Samatta (Fenerbahce-Turkey) and John Bocco (Simba).
Also, the list contains Abdul Suleiman (Coastal Union), Ayoub Lyanga (Azam), Denis Kibu (Mbeya City), Meshack Abraham (Gwambina FC), Novatus Dismas (Maccabi Tel Aviv-Israel), and Yusuf Mhilu (Kagera Sugar).
