AfricaPress-Tanzania: THE Tanzania Premier League Board (TPLB), said it is taking into consideration various options on how to finish the top flight season, including letting all remaining games unfold at one center, preferably in Dar es Salaam.
Now, it is just a matter of when the government will give the green light for the restart of sports events with the recent remarks by President John Magufuli, increasingly fascinating sports fraternity.
TPLB Chairman, Stephen Mguto could not deny the fact of using Dar es Salaam as the center to play all the remaining league games of the season.
“There are several options we are currently considering in deciding what should be the best way to complete the season. If using allowing all top flight league clubs to descend in the city for the remaining games will be agreed, then it will be implemented,” he said.
He added that the board is also looking on measures to assist the clubs which are in serious financial crisis, insisting that if it works well, they will help the concerned clubs financially before the league resumes.
“For now, clubs should be ready to respect any further instructions to be made from the government and as TPLB, we are ready to resume the league matches,” he said.
In a related development, Taifa Stars Head Coach, Etienne Ndayiragije suggested that less than a month will be ample time for top flight clubs to regroup and finalise preparations before finishing the season fixtures.
“I understand that many clubs gave their players individual training programmes to be fulfilled at their homes in order to maintain fitness levels.
“I’m sure that most players were adhering to the programmes, meaning that when they assemble to finish the season, they will simply be given minor training sessions to get back into the competitive shape,” he said.
He added that when the players regroup, they already know each other and the style of play such that there is no need to consume much time in preparation since they are aware about the playing format of their respective clubs.
“We are a bit lucky because we have not been highly affected by the lockdown like other countries; as such players had enough time to go out for exercise. Their fitness levels will surely depend on how serious they were in embracing the given solo training programmes.
“I was watching status of some players, who were taking their time to go and train at beaches and in such doing, I have confidence that most of them are physically fit to resume the league games,” said Ndayiragije.
