Do We Still Have The Momentum?

                          DO WE STILL HAVE THE MOMENTUM TO GO PAST MOROCCO?                                                                                                                          

With barely two weeks before Taifa Stars face The Atlas Lions of Morocco, Kim Poulsen,the national team coach has retained the same team that he has used in the past four months. There is nothing strange in that given the lack of proper alternative  to challenge the named players. By a mile the chosen players are the best we can afford at the moment. Despite that being the best squad we can come up with it is worrying if the selected players are up to the task ahead due to a combination of various factors.

There is a lot of question if  a good number of  those selected are in the right form to deliver .The bulky of the team is composed of Azam and Simba players .Questions are being asked if it was right to rely on Aggrey Morris and Erasto Nyoni of Azam. The two defenders have been inactive in the league since last year. Though no one  questions their quality still it is worrying that their lack of competitive football  may  affect their ability to deliver in the pitch.Are they not a bit rusty? Coach Poulsen has stuck with them despite being sidelined by Azam  yet in the various matches they have delivered perfectly. Against Cameroun the two  marshaled the defence properly.

There are also worries as to the forms of Simba players in the squad. Simba have had a poor season and recently they have struggled even against minor opposition. Juma Kaseja has been exchanging gloves with Ugandan import, Abel Dhaira. Kaseja was benched in the important away match against  Recreativo  Do Libolo. Amri Kiemba, Mwinyi Kazimoto, Mrisho Ngassa and Shomari Kapombe have found themselves in the bench in various matches in the Vodacom premier league.  They have not been effective with looking tired as reports of indiscipline and misunderstandings between them and the Simba Coach,Frenchman, Patrick Liewig have been reported in the media.

The  federation election  dispute has meant that little attention has been given to the team.The team has not  played any friendly match in preparation  while Morocco recently played a friendly match against Mali. It is worrying that Morocco seem to be better prepared than us. It has to be remembered that Morocco took maximum points from us in the last AFCON qualifiers. Why do we appear so ill-prepared against  a better opponent that has previously thrashed us home and away?