Phiri Wins Best Coach Award

Tanzania Daily News (Dar es Salaam)

26 May 2011

FORMER Simba SC coach, Zambian Patrick Phiri was on Thursday announced the best 2010/11 Vodacom Premier League coach.

Phiri was announced the best coach during a prize presentation ceremony for 2010/11 premier league by the sponsors Vodacom. For the win, Phiri, who left the country a month ago, is entitled to pocket 3.1m/-.

The Zambian coach parted ways with Simba rather unceremoniously, with some club officials pointing fingers at him for failure to guide the team to the league’s title retention.

Simba surrendered the title to bitter rivals Yanga on just a single goal difference. Young Africans goalie Ghanaian Yaw Berko emerged the season’s best goalkeeper and pocketed 2.6m/-.

Vodacom’s Sponsorship and Events Manager, Rukia Mtingwa said the winners were picked by the Tanzania Football Federation (TFF) technical committee and the names forwarded to them for announcement.

Toto Africans’ Jacob Massawe was the league best player and took home 2.6m/- while Azam’s Mrisho Ngassa won the ‘Golden Boot’ award after netting in 16 goals and was awarded 3.1m/-. Ruvu Shooting emerged the most disciplined team during the league and was given 6.2m/-.

They finished the league at 10th position among the 12 teams. The Mainland champions, Yanga were presented with 42m/- cheque, while the second placed Simba got 17m/- and 11m/- went to third placed Azam FC. However, the prize giving ceremony was attended by Yanga officials only, while Simba were reportedly in Cairo for the Champions League encounter against Waydad Casablanca of Morocco.

The chief guest, Minister for Information, Youth, Culture and Sports, Emmanuel Nchimbi challenged the mobile phone firm to ensure that they extend their sponsorship to other sports and increase their package to support financially weak teams.

“Much as we celebrate today, but you have to look at grassroot levels and much more, strongly support financially weak teams. It is obvious that some of the teams took part in the league a hard way,” said Nchimbi.

He cited an example of relegated Arusha AFC, which had to travel on the match date and leave the same day after honouring the match so as to cut cost, likewise, he cited Majimaji of Songea which he attributed as a reason for their relegation.

Vodacom which have been sponsoring the league since 2003, promised to raise their sponsorship package to 1.2bn/- from 1.1bn/- in the coming season and prize money rise to 90.8m/- from this year’s 75.4m/-.

AllAfrica – All the Time