Simba SC targets signing complete players

Zanzibar's winger Salehe Karabaka may not be a popular figure that the Msimbazi Street side's fans expected to be introduced first.

The club's fans expected an experienced foreign player but Karabaka quickly made a name for himself by scoring on his debut for the outfit when it took on JKU SC in the Isles competition.

It is a signing that did not please many Simba SC fans but somehow they understood because city rivals, Yanga, signed defensive midfielder Shekhan Hamisi from Zanzibar’s JKU SC.

Such a signing is similar to the way Karabaka was signed by Simba SC from the Isles outfit to signify both teams are aiming for the future.

Two days later, fans cheered on what they saw, after the circulation of pictures of Senegalese midfielder Babacar Sarr defending against Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo when the former's outfit, Tunisia's US Monastir, was facing the latter's Saudi Arabian outfit Al Nasr in the Arab Cup.

Simba SC's fans across social media were buzzing after what they saw, as they felt this was the signing to be introduced ahead of Karabaka's.

Sarr, the former US Monastir defensive midfielder, is the player that Simba SC wanted for its squad in the long run.

Honestly, no local player brought in will win the hearts of Simba SC fans because most of them are average footballers and fans are aware of that.

Roping in a player from either Azam FC or Yanga might impress Simba SC followers, but no Simba SC fan will pay attention when it recruits a footballer from any other local club.

The supporters will have such a tendency because the squad has signed many domestic players of the same caliber and all have failed to prove their worth.

Sarr is a signing that was eagerly awaited by the Msimbazi Street squad's fans across the country, they wanted to realize whether it is the beginning of the signing players that directly make it to the squad's starting lineup and reduce dependence on players of the likes of Clatous Chama.

The Senegalese midfielder boasts an extraordinary CV, but Simba SC has had bad luck with players the squad recently signed.

Many players have failed to make it to the outfit's starting lineup, with Congolese Fabrice Ngoma and Cameroonian Che Fondoh Malone having so far been the footballers to have done it.

The rest of the ballers picked injuries, faced suspension, or were not good enough to help the squad scale great heights, this had the team settling for senior players.

There are times a soccer enthusiast can blame the club's leaders and at times he/she may analyze and question the development of players like Mozambican midfielder Luis Miquissoine who left Simba SC as one of Africa's best wingers and returned as player far from his best.

Yanga has lately been having luck in every transfer window, the outfit’s new signings have managed to make it to the club's starting eleven.

The Jangwani Street outfit, as a result, improved a lot, clinching the 2021/22 NBC Premier League and the season's Azam Sports Federation Cup (ASFC) trophies back-to-back, and booked a place in the 2021/22 CAF Confederation Cup final.

On the right back, Yanga had at some point Juma Abdul and Kibwana Shomari then the squad signed Congolese Djuma Shabani and now the squad has Ivorian Koaussi Yao, all these players have turned out to be the first eleven members.

Yanga signed defensive midfielder Mukoko Tomombe from DR Congo's AS Vita and, before he left, the squad roped in Ugandan Khalid Aucho and Congolese Yannick Bangala to replace the former. Now Yanga has Tanzanian midfielder Mudathir Yahya.

At the end of last season, Feisal Salum, Fiston Mayele, and Djuma left Yanga but the club has continued to be strong due to the signings it did in the previous windows.

Simba SC needs these types of signings to boost the squad, competently challenge for titles, and reduce dependence on players with attitude problems.

Now Simba SC fans await to witness Sarr showcasing his prowess and challenging Malian Sadio Kanoute but, in today's football world, clubs need to have players that can impact the team anytime.

Yanga boasts good substitutes, Yahya might be substituted for Salum Abubakar and the latter will bring either the same or more impact.

In today's world, a soccer team needs not only a strong starting eleven but also quality substitutes.

Simba SC's head coach, Abdelhak Benchikha, can today decide to have his team begin a match with Sarr and, tomorrow, Ngoma starts and both bring the same impact.

Speaking of the squad depth, Simba SC has not had the desired depth since Larry Bwalya, Taddeo Lwanga, Hassan Dilunga, Chris Mugalu, and Meddie Kagere left the club.

The same could be said when Miquissoine and Chama were sold to Egypt and Morocco respectively. The duo has returned to Simba SC but the squad has not managed to recover to this very day.

It might be the beginning of a good start in bringing in players that will transform the club to the next level, the Msimbazi Street squad hardly needs players like Burkinabe midfielder, Ismael Sawadogo, anymore.

After seeing Sarr’s showing in the 2024 Mapinduzi Cup, I am convinced Simba SC has signed a good player.

However sometimes it is not about Simba SC, it is about the failure of a player to adapt to the environment and the team's needs.