AfricaPress-Tanzania: THE Tanzania Premier League Board (TPLB) has remained tight lipped despite proposal to declare the Mainland Premier League leaders Simba SC as this season’s champions.
The league was suspended mid-March with ten rounds of fixtures remaining due to the coronavirus pandemic that is ravaging the world.
The Reds remain key favourites to lift the trophy three times in a row with the existing 17 point gap against second placed Azam FC, which is described by pundits as too big for the latter to bridge.
Simba sit top on 71 points from 28 matches and they need to win at least five next league matches to win the title this season. Their closest challengers Azam occupy second slot with 54 points from 28 games each.
If the league resumes, Simba just need to get 15 points from their remaining games to be declared the season’s new champions. They will post 86 points mark that cannot be attained by any other team.
A huge debate has since erupted in various social media platforms regarding Simba being awarded the trophy, while the league is not yet over with some people calling it unfair as they insist that mathematically, all the top five teams on the table have equal chances to claim the title.
Late last week, a section of Members of Parliament called on the TPLB through the Tanzania Football Federation (TFF) to hand the league title to runaway leaders and defending champions Simba.
However, other MPs said it will be a bit premature and unjustifiable to end the league at this stage and suggested that it will be better to wait and continue monitoring the situation.
Juma Nkamia (Chemba—CCM) told the National Assembly that given the circumstances and the preparations for the annual continental club football competitions, it was imperative for this season be declared over.
Nkamia suggested that Simba should be declared winner and represent the country in CAF champions League next season.
He further said that Azam, who are second on the log and holders of the Azam Sports Federation Cup (ASFC), title, should be given chance to represent the country in CAF Confederation Cup next season.
Sengerema MP William Ngeleja (CCM), comes to the rescue rallying behind Nkamia’s opinion expanding further that Simba should be declared the champions because the gap on point was huge and only few matches are remaining for the league to conclude.
On their side, Simba officials believe that the club is better placed to represent the country in CAF Champions League (CAF CL) next season, whether the Mainland Premier League resumes or is cancelled.
Simba Information Officer, Haji Manara said whether the league resumes or is cancelled, they will have what it takes to feature in CAF CL next season.
“Some people are saying the league should be cancelled and if that is the case, definitely, Simba will be named as the Mainland’s flag bearers in CAF CL next season because we are currently leading the table,” Manara said.
On Thursday, this week, an organization that deals with the rights and welfare of football players SPUTANZA through its Chairman Mussa Kisoki, added its voice on the issue.
It stressed the need to deal with this issue more cautiously, insisting that you cannot decide on the league unless the present first and second runners up cannot win the league even if they won all their remaining league matches.
With many hoping to see the TPBL come out in the public and bring this debate to a halt, the board has opted to remain silent.
