Blues Cancel Tour of Dar Es Salaam

Tanzania Daily News (Dar es Salaam)

25 May 2011

ENGLISH Carling Cup Champions, Birmingham City, have decided to call off their proposed pre-season trip to play two matches in the country.

Blues, who were relegated from the Premier League on Saturday, were due to tour the country in July for friendlies against local giants Simba and Yanga.

However, organisers failed to meet the deadline set to confirm the arrangements for Alex McLeish’s side. The Carling Cup holders are now looking into other possible destinations to prepare for their championship return.

A statement from Birmingham City read: “The club had set a deadline of Monday, 23 May for the organising parties to categorically give the necessary commitments on paper.

“As the formal contract for the trip was not entered into, the club regrettably had to pull out to consider other arrangements. “Other pre-season destinations are being considered and details will be released as soon as possible.”

Blues will also head overseas in August, when they play in the final qualifying round of the Europa League.

Birmingham First Team coach Andy Watson and Chief Medical Officer, Ian McGuiness were in Dar es Salaam last week when they inspected facilities ahead of the abandoned ground-breaking tour.

The two officials poured their lavish praise for Tanzania’s National Stadium describing it as magnificent. “It’s a wonderful stadium absolutely one of the best I’ve ever seen. The pitch is perfect and the whole set up that is just incredible. I loved the hotels and hospitals we have visited. I’m sure the players and officials will enjoy their stay in Tanzania,” Watson told the ‘Daily News’ in exclusive interview.

Watson said they had received various invitations from as far as US, Thailand, Canada and Australia but they settled to pick Tanzania.

“Surely we will not regret to pick Tanzania as a destination for the pre-season tour. The people of Tanzania that we have met have been very hospitable and kind and from what we’ve seen of the country so far it looks an amazing place.

“We have been made aware of just how much the Tanzanian people love their football – especially the Barclay’s Premier League -and when everything is fully in place, we look forward to coming back in July and playing,” Watson promised, but it has turned to be an empty promise.

Birmingham had been expected to come with over 1,000 travelling fans, who would have visited the world famous Serengeti National Park, one of the major tourist attractions in the country.

The cancellation of the tour can be viewed as a lost opportunity for the country’s football and according to Watson, upon their arrival, the English club could help local clubs set an established academy to crop up young talents.

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