AfricaPress-Tanzania: SIMBA SC deadly striker Meddie Kagere has named Ivory Coast and Manchester United defender Eric Bertrand Bailly as the toughest opponent he has ever faced.
In his recent interview with Uganda based Kawowo Sports Kagere said he has faced so many challenging players in his line of duty over the years but said the most outstanding of all is Bailly.
“Eric Bertrand Bailly gave me a very troublesome time when Rwanda faced Ivory Coast last year during an AFCON qualifier. “He was all over the place and won most aerial battles. He is hard and tackled well. However, he skipped one moment and I managed to score against them despite the fact that we lost the game 2-1,” Kagere said.
Kagere joined Simba in 2018 in a mouthwatering deal and has since become a key member of the first team.
He has always been giving defenders torrid time, no wonder, in his first season at the Msimbazi Reds club he finished as league top scorer with 23 goals, winning the golden boot.
Kagere, who is currently housed in his Kigali, Rwanda based villa with the family in a lock down because of the raging Coronavirus pandemic across the world is currently the leading goal scorer in the Mainland Premier League with 19 goals and six assists.
The Ugandan born, Rwandese striker remains on course and firing via all cyclinder heads as he is destined for the top scorer’s gong this season.
He is destined for the a third premier league title in the 2019-2020 season as Simba sit top of the league table on 71 points from 28 matches, massive 17 points above second placed Azam FC, who have played the same number of matches.
Among his personal investments is a home based gymnamism, which is fully stocked. It is at this home gym where he is currently training because in Rwanda, no road work and team sessions are allowed.
He admitted that being handled by professional coaches and playing with finest players has personally helped his personal development.
“I have worked under great professional coaches. These never leave you the same and I salute them highly. Also, having played with great players always pushes you an extra mile to deliver your best. The healthy competition motivates you more and more,” he said.
Kagere has always had great dreams in life. Right from childhood, his mind was focused to being second to none in everything he executed.
“From when I was young, I cherished training up to now. I was chasing a dream. I always wanted to be on top of my game. It is the reason, I held very many sessions before the main training at Kakeeka (Entebbe Cricket Oval). I did a lot of running and ball work all alone. Most times, I would skip lunch when in training and compensate with supper,” he opened up.
The ‘bull’ striker has labelled Dar es Salaam derby duel against traditional rivals Young Africans as the most epic, tension packed and adrenaline moving.
“Before I came to Tanzania, I had played derbies in Rwanda and Kenya. In Kenya, I scored in most derby games apart from one game which ended goal-less. The Simba- Tanzania derby remains the best. For about a month or two, nothing is spoken about but that upcoming derby.
“It gives you time to prepare and think about. From the street talk, media to public offices, nothing is talked about but Simba versus Yanga. I also get calls from Europe, South Africa, Rwanda and elsewhere of personal friends who wish to carry a long special boot and watch me play the derby in Dar es Salaam.
“It is tense, stadium full to capacity and waoooo, mouth-watering. Losing to a rival team is very painful and hurting.”
Kagere, whose energy levels are always immense, noted of the Tanzanian derby.
