The 2022/23 CAF Champions League campaign came to an end for Simba SC two weeks ago as the NBC Premier League side made their quarterfinal exit after a penalty shootout loss to Morocco's Wydad Athletic Club.
There was more heartbreak for Simba SC in this season's Azam Sports Federation Cup (ASFC) which seemed to offer fans a lifeline in what has been a wretched season for the Msimbazi Street club.
They crashed out of the showdown's semi-final stage at the hands of rivals Azam FC, going down 2-1 in the tie held in Mtwara.
Out of the 2022/23 CAF Champions League, out of the ASFC, and beaten to the Premier League title by age-old rivals, Young Africans SC, alias Yanga, means it is another trophyless season for Simba SC.
The club has had four different coaches in charge this season without any silverware to show for it.
The hardest part is watching their arch-rivals, Yanga, do well at the continental stage where they are in the 2022/23 CAF Confederation Cup semi-finals with a big chance of making it to their first-ever final appearance.
Simba SC Media Officer, Ahmed Ally has candidly admitted the outfit needs to go back to the drawing board to ensure there will not be a repeat of this season next term.
The Media Officer said: "We have a big self-introspection task, we have to look at where we are going wrong, for the second season in a row we end up at the same stage, last season in the CAF Confederation Cup competition we ended up in the quarterfinals, the official said.
This season we exited at the same quarterfinals level, in the NBC Premier League we finished second place last season and this season we are still second.
“If you come to the Azam Sports Federation Cup last season we came stuck at the semi-final, this season it is another semi-final exit, what it means is that our club has not taken a step forward, we are stuck, and if we are not making steps forward, it means there are weaknesses."
"We must go back to the drawing board, take a look at where we are going wrong, and identify where there are problems. We have to determine if the type of players we have can help us in not only fighting for the championship but winning it."
"We have to look at each player and make a detailed assessment. If we keep him, can he help us in the future, or if he stays, we will continue to end up in the quarterfinals. So we have to do that assessment. "
Planning is now well underway for the 2023-24 campaign and with the imminent arrival and exit of several players.
Out of the many things that need immediate solutions and answers, Simba must make sure they get the incoming transfer business right.
First and foremost, Simba SC needs to make that big squad clear out, which seems to be the plan anyway.
They have to! This is part of the challenge of building a squad capable of competing at the highest level.
It will be interesting to see how Simba SC replaces the six or seven aging first-team players.
Behind the scenes, head coach Roberto Oliveira 'Robertinho' admits it is challenging to press throughout the game with players nearing pension eligibility.
Key players such as Clatous Chama, Shomari Kapombe, Joash Onyango, Said Ntibazonkiza, and John Bocco are on the wrong side of 30. Henock Inonga, Moses Phiri and Augustine Okrah are all aged 29.
The coach is hardly the only one with such views, even some fans are suggesting that Simba SC, also nicknamed 'Msimbazi Reds', needs a squad refreshed to help their rebuild, which is what former head coach Pablo Franco had warned last year.
It is not just about clearing and making some marquee signings, but they need to balance that with smart signings to get the right balance needed for the transition period while also competing and winning silverware. That is a delicate balance to get right.
If they decide to be loyal to many old guards then they could be at risk of not having solved their aging squad issue.
It has to be done in different phases. They still need experienced legs to complement the youngsters.
The management has to bring in a mix of experience, Premier League-proven, and smart gems into this squad going forward. In all fairness, the club tried a rebuild two years ago but it has not worked.
The likes of Habib Kyombo, Peter Banda, Jimyson Mwanuke, and Israel Mwenda have all been brought to blend the squad but they have not pushed the old guards out of the starting eleven.
So this is like a second attempt at rebuilding the squad. Lessons have been learned from mistakes that were made though the truth is that recruitment can never be a perfect exercise, no matter the level of analytics or character background checks.
Football is a tough business to be successful in, super unpredictable and therefore there will be a lot of failures all around at many clubs but for Simba SC this time they just cannot afford to go wrong once again.
It is not that Yanga is too far ahead but the club is doing better because of squad depth, while for Simba SC, head coach Robertinho has been forced to work with a small group of players for every game.
The transfer window is all about addressing the squad issue. It is about ensuring they have greater energy and greater depth of quality next season.
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