AfricaPress-Tanzania: TAIFA Stars captain, Mbwana Samatta reiterated that he is keeping himself in good shape during this period of Covid-19 pandemic so as to be fit when the English Premier League resumes
Samatta joined EPL side Aston Villa during the mini-transfer window to become the first Tanzanian to feature in one of the biggest football leagues.
Speaking recently via social media platform, Samatta said, despite training solo, he is taking the practice sessions seriously as per recommendations by the club’s fitness coaches.
“You are allowed to keep fit in any way you want provided you do not contact the coronavirus and to maintain the same rhythm as before which is very important to any player.
“Generally, you cannot be hundred percent fit because you don’t play games and you are deprived of certain training sessions especially the ones done together with your teammates but those which we can manage to maintain, we are regularly practicing them,” he said.
Samatta was due to captain Taifa Stars for the first time since moving to EPL against Tunisia in group J of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers before they were cancelled due to Covid-19 threat.
Until now, Stars remain third in the group with three points similar to second placed Libya only to be separated by goal difference while Tunisia lead the group with six points from two matches each. Equatorial Guinea, who are winless and pointless, occupies the fourth place.
Samatta became the first Tanzanian to play in EPL and he is tasked to help his team from being relegated this season as they currently sit 19th on the table with 25 points from 28 played matches.
They are four points above the bottom-placed Norwich City which have garnered 21 points in their 29 games played and too have to scale up their efforts to remain in the hot contest next season.
Samatta’s star in EPL began to shine on his debut match against Bournemouth when he scored his first goal with a piercing header despite losing 2-1 at the end of the game.
Again, he scored the only goal for his side in their 2-1 loss to Manchester City in the Carabao Cup finals at Wembley Stadium in London which helped to bring his side into the match but it was too little for them to emerge winners.
