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Former Taifa Star expresses concern over team selection
2007-08-12 10:24:39
By Badru Kimwaga
Former striker with RTC-Kagera, Young Africans and Taifa Stars, Abeid Mziba `Tekelo` has questioned the criterion used in selecting the national team leaving behind players like Mrisho Ngassa of Young Africans.
Mziba, a dangerous wing, said he thought this time the payer would have been included in the squad, but has been left and instead incompetent players whom he termed as a burden, have been picked.
The former Taifa Star player said in an interview over the weekend that as Tanzanian he was extremely touched by the decision of the national coach of dropping Ngasa from the national team and pick Jerry Tegete who quite often is never put in the line up.
`These are my views, I have no intention of interfering with his job, but really I fail to understand him. How can a good coach leave behind a player like Ngasa whose ability is unquestionable,` he queried.
If the motive of his approach is to identify talents and build a young and strong team for the future, that is Marcos Tinoco, U-17’s coach duty.
What Taifa Stars need to qualify for the Africa Cup Nations finals in Ghana next year is victory and not anything else.
`If it`s the question of age, Ngassa has all the qualities, he is still young and his ability is self explanatory, who knows Tegete`s ability while he hasn’t played any match since he was selected.
Nevertheless, Mziba said the squad is good but questioned the reason behind the inclusion of incompetent players who for a number of reasons are already known that they won’t be in the Stars/Mozambique line up.
`What has Nsajigwa gone to do while he won`t be in the line up because of the red card? I think there is something cooking in that team, anyway let`s be patient otherwise we will be seen as we want to pope our noses into other people’s affair,` he lamented.
A contingent of 21 players including Victor Costa, Shadrack Nsajigwa and Tegete were selected by Maximo last Thursday for the European tour which will see them play a series of friendly matches with their hosts Denmark and Switzerland.
Stars and Mozambique clash next month in an Africa Cup Nations qualifying return leg match at a venue to be named later.
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