By Sylivery Manyama – Art in Tanzania Internship Programs
Tanzania is one of the countries with the most talented young people especially in the game of football. In east African countries the most influential football league is the Tanzania league known as Vodacom Premier League. The oldest clubs in Tanzania and the ones that are doing well are Simba and Yanga and many players dream of playing for those clubs than over sea.
Tanzanian football philosophy aims to have players who are hungry for success, teachable and willing to learn. Most of our players are satisfied quickly with little success in our football. Many are satisfied when they are selected to play on a big team like Simba and Yanga and are not coached. Many players are not ready to learn and feel that they know the ball and forget that football is a science that changes every day.
The dream of many players in Tanzania is to play football abroad/ over sea, for example, there are players who have successfully played football abroad who are Mbwana Samata at Fernabace , Himidi Mao, Saimon Msuva at Whydad Cassablanca and many others. Playing football abroad requires the patience of the players and dedication. many of them have been failing due to various reasons. Examples of players who failed to play abroad successfully are Mrisho Ngassa, Farid Mussa, Abdallah Shaibu and many others who returned to play in the domestic league.
Mbwana Samatta
Mbwana Ally Samatta (born 23 December 1992) is a Tanzanian professional footballer who plays as a striker for Turkish club Fenerbahçe on loan from Premier league Aston Villa. He played also at Belgium league Genk also before playing at Genk he was a player of Tp Mazembe from Congo. He started his career at Simba sports club.
Simon Msuva (born 3 december 1993) is a Tanzanian professional football player who plays for Wydad Casablanca and the Tanzanian national football Team. He also played as a winger in the Al Jadida team from Morocco before shifted to whydad. Msuva was a top scorer of the Vodacom Tanzania Mainland Premier League for the 2014-2015 season at Yanga football club.
Himid Mao Mkami (born 5 November 1992) is a Tanzanian footballer who currently plays as a midfielder for ENPPI SC. He was a player of Azam sport club
The challenges facing players to achieve their dreams of playing overseas
• Cultural diversity. Many players have found themselves unable to play outside due to the nature of the practice and the environment at home and abroad being different.
• Language problem. Many players have been challenged to know the languages that are used overseas thus becoming unhappy and misunderstood by the coaches and leading to a return.
• The problem of football agents in Tanzania. Many players do not have official agents to manage them thus leading many players to manage themselves. Thus, leading players to enter into bad contracts and fail to protect their interests.
• poor preparation of players from early age. Many Tanzanian players do not have the basics of football, which makes it difficult for them to play football abroad due to the lack of real football bases from an early age.
Despite this in order to have more players over sea, we need to have more registered agents to help players go and play abroad through those agents, as well as believing in young blood and looking for teams to play abroad as most Tanzanian players go abroad at an older age lead to play for short period.