AfricaPress-Tanzania: SIMBA goal scoring machine, Meddie Kagere has said it will take players at least a month to regain their match fitness and overcome rustiness.
Kagere jetted back in Dar es Salaam on Tuesday from his native Kigali, Rwanda, where he went about two months ago after the Mainland Premier League was suspended due to Coronavirus pandemic.
There were fears that Kagere and three other team members–Francis Kahata (Kenya), Sharraf Shiboub (Sudan) and Clatous Chama of Zambia could miss the rest of the season if the league resumes because of the lockdown placed in their respective nations.
However, Kagere has managed to return as promised by Simba Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Senzo Mazingisa last Saturday.
And, deadly striker is reportedly to have travelled by car from Kigali to Mwanza, from where he took a flight to Dar es Salaam.
Kagere is unsure as to whether he will maintain his prolific goal scoring form he had before the league was suspended, sitting top of the scoring chart with19 goals from 28 matches.
“The suspension has affected us as footballers because we have a long stay without an action. In football if you want to be on your top-level, you must be engaged in as many matches as possible.
“Match fitness is an issue here. You can train for two months, but if you do not play in competitive matches, then your fitness level will not be the same.
I can’t deny that this situation will not have an effect on players…it will affect them a lot. It will need at least three to four games for players to come back to their usual levels,” he said.
The Ugandan born, Rwandese striker said for the past two months, he was following the training programme provided to the players by the technical bench and he believes that he has observed the training regimes to the best of his capabili- ties.
About the league to be played at one centre and without fans, Kagere said it will certain- ly not be a usual thing for them. “It will be hard for players because we will be playing in an empty stadium.
We are used to playing behind a huge crowd and you feel them, you are charged up with their support. It will be a totally different atmo- sphere…it will be like playing in a different planet or just play- ing in a bonanza,” he said.
Knowing clearly that Simba only needs 12 points to win the league title three times on the trot, Kagere said they have good players enough to amass the re- quired target to win the league.
“I don’t think that there is any player in the squad who wants to lose it (title) at the mo- ment.
The trophy is us to lose, we have the determination and ability to win it,” he said. About winning the Azam Sports Fed- eration Cup (ASFC), Kagere said this will depend on hard work from players.
“When it comes to football, it is more of action than talking about winning something. We as players will always have an- swers when we are on the field and this stance will not change in ASFC,” said the hit man. Kagere praised his club for launching a website, saying that is the best thing for a profes- sional club.
“If someone wants to know anything about the club such as history of the club, its legends, past and current players he will just need to log in, to get information he needs,” he said.
Meanwhile, Simba’s Assistant Coach Selemani Matola has said they will do everything to support Meddie Kagere to break the top flight league scoring record this season.
Kagere is eyeing to beat 26-goal mark set by former Young Africans hitman, Mohamed Hussein ‘Mmachin-ga’ 24 years ago.
So far, Kagere has netted 19 goals and with ten matches to go, he needs to score at least eight to hit a new record of 27 goals.
“We want to put in place a good mechanisms which will see Kagere breaking Hussein’s record by giving him more playing time in the remaining matches and I believe that he can achieve that, target,” said Matola, whose side regrouped yesterday to start training ready to finalize the season.
About winning the league title, Matola said his side has 99.6 percent chance to lift the trophy, insisting that they only need to win four matches out of remaining ten.
“To be honest, we have a bog chance to be declared champions that any other team…wining four matches out of ten is achievable,” he said
