Simba Sports Club’s newly appointed Croatian coach Zdravko Logarusic, who jetted in on Sunday, started training the team on Monday evening for the Mainland Premier League’s second leg which kicks off early next year.
Zdravko Logarusic
Logarusic, confidently promised the Msimbazi based club supporters’ outstanding performance in the premier league on arrival, started training his new squad at Kinesi training ground, Ubungo in Dar es Salaam.
Simba’s Information Officer Ezekiel Kamwaga said new players who have been signed by the club for the league’s second leg were also expected to attend the afternoon training session.
The Croatian, who had previously coached Kenya Premier League side, Gor Mahia , has replaced veteran local coach Abdallah ‘King’ Kibaden and his assistant Jamhuri Kihwelo ‘Julio’ who were sacked as soon as the first leg wound up due to the team’s unsatisfactory performance.
Logarusic inspected the Kinesi training ground on his first day in the country and approved it. He later proposed to have a trial match every week in order to have a competent squad before the league resumes.
Among the players who have been recruited to serve the Msimbazi Reds club in their campaign to regain the title is Ghanaian international and former Young African dependable goalkeeper, Yaw Berko, who has signed a six month contract with the club.
Berko, who jetted in on Saturday from his home country, has been recruited by Simba to replace Ugandan keeper Abel Dhaira from Uganda, who has failed to prove his ability to the club and its supporters.
Logarusic, 51, will have a difficult task to improve the performance of his team which in currently fourth on the league table behind their archrivals Yanga who are in the pilot seat, Azam and debutants Mbeya City, who are in second and third positions respectively.
Logarusic, who assisted Gor Mahia end an 18-year title drought, believes in playing quick attacking football and counter-attacking, a philosophy he says guarantees good results.
“I intend to establish a competent team that plays a quick attacking game and with some technical changes, Simba will be able to challenge the league title in order to qualify for the CAF Champions League next year,” he said.
With players such as Haruna Chanongo, Ramadhani Singano, Amis Tambwe and Betram Mombeki upfront, the Croatian’s philosophy might work if they follow his instructions to the letter.
Before joining Simba, Lugarusic had coached Ghana sides King Faisal Babies FC of Kumasi from 2009/2010 and Ashanti Gold SC for two years from 2010 to 2012 and was later recruited by Gor Mahia from April 2012 to November 2013.
Source Tanzania Daily News
