One of the TFF presidential candidates, Jamal Malinzi speaks to journalists during the launch of his election manifesto in Dar es Salaam . Malinzi promises to take the game to the next level. Photo | FIDELIS FELIX
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Malinzi said he will also improve regional leagues, introduce new tournaments and revive old ones
Dar es Salaam. One of the Tanzania Football Federation (TFF) Presidential candidates, Jamal Malinzi has launched his election manifesto promising to take the game to the next level during his first term in the leadership.
Speaking in Dar es Salaam yesterday, Malinzi said that football stakeholders will start to enjoy his leadership during the first 100 days while promising to host African Youth Championships in the country that will stimulate the development of the game. Malinzi said that TFF leadership would work on the recommendation made by President Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete during World Cup tour, and Tanzania would somehow attain the highest development.
He said that President Kikwete asked all Tanzanians to take the World Cup tour as challenges to do better in the game. The tour was regarded as debt to Tanzanians whose repayment can only be achieved by improving the standards of football so that we may one day participate in the World Cup finals.
“World Cup qualification is an achievable target; other African nations have achieved it, why should we fail? After all, they are like us, as long as we have the will we can do it. But for us to succeed, we ought to take a leaf from what other fellows who have done and are doing to develop and promote football,” said Malinzi.
Malinzi said that if he will be elected to the post, he will uphold and sustain various initiatives of the outgoing leadership, maintain administrative stability as well as innovate, improve and steer forward the development of football in Tanzania.
He said that in doing so, an emphasis will be put on technical department, establishment of football centre (Football Centre for Excellenc) which will normally deal with proper football infrastructure which includes among other things a number of good soccer pitches, sports medical centres, classrooms, research laboratories, hostels among other facilities. This centre will also act as national teams’ camp.
Malinzi said he will also improve regional leagues, introduce new tournaments and revive old ones, empowering women’s football, establish youth football development projects, improve medical facilities, training for referees and improve administration.
He will improve salaries for TFF staffs, increase revenue for clubs and regional football governing bodies, affiliate bodies, recognizing retired players and many others.
He said that Tanzania is now lagging behind in football development.
“Let us ask ourselves, how many local football coaches have we groomed and empowered to the level of fully trusting them with the management of our national teams, why can’t our coaches cross borders as it is with our neighbours whose coaches have crossed into Tanzania and been trusted in managing our clubs, how do we utilize the FIFA and CAF coaches training opportunities to advance the careers of our local coaches- the cause of all this is poor management, I want to abolish it,” said Malinzi.
