Muhiddin explains why Tanzania is ‘steps ahead’ of Kenya in football

FKFPL Muhiddin explains why Tanzania is ‘steps ahead’ of Kenya in football

Mark Kinyanjui 15:20 - 10.05.2023

The vastly experienced coach has given two reasons why Kenyan football has moved backward while Tanzanian football has soared.

.Bandari FC technical director and head coach Twahir Muhiddin has explained why Kenyan football is 'steps behind' Tanzanian football.

Tanzanian football has been going from strength to strength in recent times, with the International Federation of Football History and Statistics ranking the Tanzanian Premier League as the fifth-best league in Africa and the 39th-best in the world.

Both Tanzanian giants, Simba SC and Yanga SC, have done well in the CAF tournaments this season. Simba managed to get to the quarter-finals of the Champions League, while Yanga are preparing to face South African side Marumo Gallants in the semi-final of Africa’s equivalent of the UEFA Europa League.

Muhiddin, who served as Jacob ‘Ghost’ Mulee’s assistant in his last stint as Harambee Stars head coach between 2020 and 2021, says that one reason is that teams have not embraced technology compared to Tanzanian clubs.

“Most times when I was Ghost’s assistant, I used to analyze our matches and the opposition, as well as set training schedules for the side.”

“Back when I was Mohamed Kheri’s assistant (between 1988 and 1990), we did not have such privileges. There was no data back then or reports to use to prepare for the opposition, so I used to take charge of everything as a young, 30-year-old coach taking charge of players like Divock Origi’s father, Mike Origi Okoth.

“It allowed me to go to countries like Brazil and Germany, as well as England, where I learned under Bobby Charlton, as well as African coaches like Ben Koffi of Ghana and Chief Olibinde of Nigeria.

“The experience I have had has enabled me to understand that we have to embrace change. Two months ago, we had a seminar in Nairobi with the CAF instructors, and we learnt why Kenya is steps behind Tanzania.

“One of the things we do not pay keen attention to is implementing sports science in our football, as well as technology, which is why our results generally are not just for the national team but also for our league teams.”

Muhidin also stressed leadership wrangles within Kenyan football as the reason why the country is lagging behind Tanzania.

“Another reason is a lack of planning with our preseason schedules. Before this season started, for example, teams were supposed to go through pre-season for one and a half months, but it took us four months to get the league started.

“The wrangles (between the caretaker committee and the recently reinstated Football Kenya Federation due to the ban imposed on the country’s football by FIFA) meant the league started four months late, which affected the players’ conditions and match sharpness, and that is why for Bandari, the results have not been appealing.”