By Kalata News,
LUSAKA, 17/01/24 – That current Zambia Super League leading goal scorer Freddy Michael has been snapped up by giants SC Simba, is a stark reminder of how our league has become a nursery for the Tanzanian league.
Michael, the Ivorian who has been scoring goals like they were going out of fashion since joining Green Eagles at the start of the 2023/2024 season is the latest top scorer to swap the MTN league with the Ligi Kuu Bara.
It appears the honchos of Tanzanian clubs only have to look south for the top scorers chart in Zambian for imports into their flourishing projects that have fared better than Zambian clubs in continental competitions.
Power Dynamos buttressed that shift of power when the Kitwe giants were last year eliminated by SC Simba from the CAF Champions League via a 3-3 aggregate that got the Tanzanians through on away goals.
Before that Nkana were also sent packing from the 2021 edition of the Champions league by the same Simba, courtesy of a cheeky Clatous Chama backheeled goal.
This is not the first time Tanzanian clubs have come calling looking for talent from Zambia, particularly targeting the league leading goal scorer.
Two seasons ago, leading scorer Kennedy Musonda then of the Power Dynamos persuasion joined Young Africans in the much-maligned January transfer window that throws clubs into disarray.
Previously Moses Phiri who shook the net 17 times for Green Buffaloes in 2021 also crossed the TAZARA railway line to join Simba having starred for Zanaco before the trek.
Another former Zanaco prodigy Roger Kola was on the books of Azam until last season, let alone Chama, arguably the most productive member of the recent migration.
Coaches too have traded Tanzania for Zambia, notably former national team coach George Lwandamina who joined Azam in 2020 but has since returned to his former club Zesco United.
Another former Chipolopolo trainer Honour Janza tried his hand at Namungo before joining Lwandamina in the Zesco star-studded dug out that also boasts of Tenant Chilumba.
The pressure after Michael’s departure goes to Green Eagles given that the Ivorian’s 14 goals in 17 matches had arrested a poor run of form that bedevilled the Choma based side at the start of the campaign.
Zambia National Services (ZNS) who are the sponsors of Eagles even gave coach Alex Namazaba a three-match ultimatum to turn the club’s fortunes around, which he did with aplomb, thanks to Michael.
In all honest, the financial investments the Tanzanian clubs have embarked on in the last decade are bearing fruits now.
It is not surprising that our northern neighbours are attracting the best of our players ahead of the traditional destination, South Africa.
If history is anything to go by, the resurgence of the Tanzanian league is nothing new, either.
One is reminded of the 1979 CAF Champions league encounter between then Zambian champions Mufulira Wanderers who beat Simba 4-0 in Dar es Salaam but came unhinged in the reverse fixture at Independence stadium losing 5-0.
Even at national team level, the Taifa Stars, hitherto out bridesmaids qualified for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON where the Chipolopolo failed to have a look in.
At the 2023 AFCON, the two countries are drawn in Group F and only after the January 21 encounter will we know who holds the bragging rights
