Kim Poulsen

The national football team coach, Kim Poulsen, yesterday named 21 players who are to open a camp in a week’s time before playing an international friendly against a team to be named later.

Conspicuous inclusion is Young Africans’ midfielder Athuman Idd whose game has remarkably stepped up in recent days.

Idd will be making an appearance for the team since he was axed by the former Stars coach Brazilian Marcio Maximo on grounds of misconduct three years ago.

The rest of the squad members are predominantly Simba and Azam.

Yanga and Simba centre backs Nadir Haroub and Juma Nyoso who used to have a permanent jersey in the Stars line up have also been offloaded.

The Tanzania Football Federation is currently in search of a friendly international for the national team ahead of World Cup qualifiers running for the 2014 championship in Brazil.

The friendly tie will be played on August 15 as players are supposed to report for camping a week before.

 Azam FC has dominated the provisional squad called by the coach with eight players on board.

Mainland and Kagame Cup champions Simba and Yanga, respectively, have contributed five players apiece.
 
The ice-cream makers who reached the just ended Kagame Cup final on maiden appearance have  goalkeeping duo of Mwadini Ali and Deo Munishi, defender Erasto Nyoni and  Aggrey Morris, midfielders Ramadhan Chombo, Mrisho Ngassa, Abubakar Salum, and striker John Bocco.

Simba have captain Juma Kaseja, Mwinyi Kazimoto, Haruna Moshi and Ramadhan Singano and TASWA player of the year Shomari Kapombe.

Yanga players named in the national team include defender Kelvin Yondan, Frank Domayo, Athuman Idd, Simon Msuva and Kagame Cup top golden boot award winner Said Bahanuzi.

TP Mazembe duo of Mbwana Samatta and Thomas Ulimwengu  have not been overlooked as Mtibwa Sugar’s midfielder Shaaban Nditi  has remained an exclusive attraction  by all Stars’ foreign coaches’ favourite since 2006.

Stars have a long way to win the qualifier berth for the first tie in history having lost the opener to Cote d’Ivoire and draw with Gambia.

Morocco is also in the qualifier group with the Tanzania team which is out of the Nations Cup final slated for South Africa next year.