Africa-Press – Tanzania. THE former Young Africans manager who steered the team’s success in the 1970s, is no more.
Working alongside the then chairman Mangara Tabu Mangara, Sharif was the figurehead of Yanga’s golden era, leading the club into many successes during his leadership.
Most notable was reaching the CAF Champions League’s quarter final stage before they were eliminated by Ghana’s Asante Kotoko on coin toss decision. Kotoko went on to win the championship
He was the man who also steered the team to win the East and Central African Club championship in Zanzibar in 1975, a year after their traditional rivals Simba clinched that title in Dar es Salaam.
During Shiraz’s time Yanga dominated the local football whereas they clinched the Mainland’s first division title from 1968 up to 1972 before Simba dethroned them in 1973.
It was the time when the team went for their pre-season drills in Brazil and brought in the country top European teams such as Aston Villa, Manchester City, Fluminense, ABC, Dnieper of Ukraine being the most notable.
Yanga’s golden generation squad during Shariff included Sunday Manara, Juma Shaabani, Abdularhaman Juma, Juma Matokeo, Kitwana Manara, Gibson Sembuli, Leornard Chitete, Hassan Gobosi, Omari Kapera, Boi Iddi Wilkens’.
Others were Leodegar Tenga,Jella Mtagwa, Maulidi Dilunga, Badi Salehe, Mohamed Adolf Rishard, Juma Pondamali, Kasim Manara and Mohamedi Mkweche.
Following huge leadership conflict within the club at the end of 1975 Sharrif and Mangara resigned from Yanga and fled away with many first team players like Juma Matokeo, Gibson Sembuli, Kitwana Manara, Muhaji Muki, Jella Mtagwa, Leodeger Tenga before they formed Pan African in 1976.
According to Yanga and Pan African legend Sunday Manara, Shiraz Shariff died 76 in Vancouver, Canada.
Manara described the late Shiraz Shariff as the visionary football leader in which during his time at Yanga and Pan African the two clubs achieved tremendous success on and off the pitch.
“He was a truly visionary leader who brought Yanga and Pan African voluminous success. On the pitch the two clubs dominated football and outside the pitch I remember it was during his time where Yanga had five buses they used as a means for transport for the players, “said Manara.
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