Mixed reactions over Stars squad selection

The national football team (Taifa Stars) players during a past training session at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam. Taifa Stars will feature in the African Nations Championship (Chan) finals to be held in Morocco. PHOTO | file

What you need to know:

  • Many stakeholders differed with Ndayiragije, saying that the three players deserved inclusion in the Taifa Stars squad due to their outstanding performances

Dar es Salaam. Football stakeholders in the country have differed on the selection of the national football team (Taifa Stars) players made by head coach Etienne Ndayiragije ahead of the African Nations Championship (Chan) finals.

In his squad, Ndayiragije has dropped Young Africans (Yanga)’s first choice goalkeeper, Metacha Mnata, Simba’s left back defender Mohamed “Tshabalala” Hussein and Hassan Dilunga in the 30 players squad announced on Tuesday.

Many stakeholders differed with Ndayiragije, saying that the three players deserve inclusion in the Taifa Stars squad due to their outstanding performances in the Mainland Premier League and other matches.

However, a famous football analysts in the country, Alex Kashasha, has defended Ndayiragije’s selection of the players, urging football fans in the country to give him a chance to perform his duties.

Kashasha said Ndayiragije had used his criteria based on techniques, tactics and others to select the players ahead of the competition.

“There is a key criteria to select players and each coach is normally using it to do that.

“So, we are supposed to give him a chance to perform his duties. This is because you may criticize him before, but after the competition the team may come out with the best results.

“We need to be patient because he knows what he is doing and good enough he has already worked with the players,” said Kashasha.

“Metacha and Tshabalala were in the team. So, they may be lacking some technical skills that made the coach select goalkeepers Kaseja (Juma), Aishi Manula and the other two youthful goalkeepers,” said Kashasha.

Another football analyst, Ali Mayay, said Ndayiragije has the final say on the selection of players and should be given a chance to do his job.

“We will be in a good position to criticize him after poor performance in the competition. Currently, we are not supposed to do that. He may prove us wrong or we may prove him wrong,” said Mayay.

Taifa Stars will start residential camp tomorrow ahead of the Chan competition scheduled to be held in Cameroon.