Why we settled for Amuneke-TFF

Chairman of Tanzania Football Federation (TFF) Wallace Karia, has revealed the reason why the football house settled for Nigerian international Emmanuel Amuneke.

 The former Barcelona winger according to karia, has "considerable experience of African football as a player and now a national coach” He recalled that Amuneke played an important role in Super Eagles Nations Cup victory in 1994 in Tunisia, scoring a brace in the 2-1 defeat of Chipolopolo of Zambia at the then 25,000 capacity Stade El Menzah, in Tunis.

Amuneke's wealth of experience according to Karia is sure to produce the needed result in the Taifa Stars who will resume their campaign in the 2019 African Cup of Nations qualifiers against Cranes of Uganda on September 7 in Kampala.

Amuneke recently back from FIFA assignment in Russia where he teamed up with the Technical Study Group (TSG), put pen to paper on Monday, a deal which has been re-twitted over and over by many friends, former teammates and associates.

Amunuke prior to heading to Russia for the FIFA assignment had parted ways with Sudanese club side Al Khartoum SC.

Although the Nigerian saved the side from relegation in his less than a year sojourn in Sudan, disagreements over finances led to the parting of ways. He became coach of Al Khartoum SC in November 2017, and left in March 2018.

The former Julius Berger and Ocean Boys sweat merchant also coached the National under 17 side, leading the team to victory at the 2015 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Chile, beating fellow Africans Mali 2-1 at the Estadio Sausalito Stadium in the final.

The 47-year-old takes over from Salum Mayanga who was sent packing over poor results.

The Taifa Stars are sitting third in their group after playing out a 1-1 draw against Lesotho in Dae es Salam.

Tanzania's participation in the African Cup of Nations has been neither here nor there as they have either withdrawn of failed to qualify.  The side crashed out in the first round of the 1980 edition which was won by Nigeria. Taifa Stars biggest win according to available records is a 2-time 7-0 defeat of Somalia in 1985 and 2012 while their biggest defeat was a 9-0 demolition by Kenya 62 years ago.