AfricaPress-Tanzania: THE Arusha Football Club (AFC), currently preparing to travel to Kigoma for a First Division League (FDL) match against Mashujaa FC seem to be in a dire straits.
“We have 14 players in the training camp at the moment, but there are many others who are yet to return to the camp since suspension of sports activities due to coronavirus scare,” said the AFC Captain Mahsen Bawazir.
Speaking to journalists here, Bawazir, was on a view that the journey to Kigoma is facing hurdles, because 90 per cent of the players lack quality gear, especially shoes, this will make them fail to perform well once they get there.
“We are facing acute finance crisis at the moment, the trip to the Lake Kigoma peninsular remains the biggest challenge at the moment, in fact some players may even refuse to travel due to apprehension, fearing to get stuck there, like it happened the last time when the team travelled out of the Arusha region,” said the Captain.
He advised the team’s management to find ways of rescuing the team and where possible, they should seek assistance from the government.
Team’s Coach, Abdallah Juma, said the beginning was tough because only a few players turned up when preparation started, “Now we have all of them here, but we badly need funds to enable the team undertake the journey to Kigoma. “Arusha residents should learn to motivate their team’s players through various forms of support especially after winning,” said the Coach, adding that the games played away from home field are usually tough and highly demanding.
Arusha Football Club are obliged to play four away matches.
The first will be against Mashujaa in Kigoma; then they have to face Stand United in Shinyanga, before later facing Mawenzi Market in Morogoro and complete their mission against Sahare All Stars in Tanga.
The AFC play in Group B fixture of the FDL whose top riders are Gwambina FC who have notched 40 points, followed by Geita Gold with 30 points, at the second position and then Mashujaa who have hauled 26 points at the third place.
Gipco FC; Transcamp and AFC are placed fourth, fifth and sixth respectively, all three have bagged 25 points but with a difference in goals averages.
