Bwalya: I turned down Yanga SC deal to sign for Simba SC

Simba SC midfielder Larry Bwalya has explained how he turned down an offer to sign for rivals Yanga SC.

The star was signed by Simba before the start of the 2020-21 Mainland Premier League season on a two-year deal from Power Dynamos in the Zambian Premier League.

The left-footed Zambian player has revealed how he landed at the Msimbazi giants despite their Jangwani rivals Yanga tabling an offer for his services saying the two teams battled for his services, how he sought sufficient information about the two giants and Simba got the most votes.

“I had to agree with Simba and sign a contract, at that time Yanga were in the process of following me to Zambia to sign me as they had also tabled an offer,” Bwalya told MwanaSpoti as quoted by Sokalabongo.

“I told Yanga the truth there is one team I have agreed with and I am going to sign a contract, but they did not want to understand and instead followed me to Zambia, but it happened I was also on my way to Tanzania to sign for Simba.

“We crossed each other on the way, as they arrived in Zambia to talk to me, myself and Chris [Mugalu] had already landed in Tanzania and imagine I was in the same plane with Mugalu but didn’t notice until we arrived and were received at the airport is when I realised I was with Mugalu in the same plane.”

On some of the players who helped him to join Simba, Bwalya said: “I set aside time to follow Simba based on the information I received from my various sources, but I spoke to midfielder [Clatous] Chama who assured me that it was the right team to play for.

“I knew [Chama] very well, I have known him for many years because we have played together in Zambia and we are also together in the national team, so I had to listen to him, and then I agreed to land Simba."

I am proud of that decision as Simba is one of the teams with the biggest goals that can always lift any player.”

On the Tanzanian league: Bwalya said: “The Tanzania Premier League is growing fast every year and is very competitive regardless of whether the smaller teams meet or others outnumber each other.

“Every time you look at any match the team that wins must fight hard as everyone has a goal to win but the one that gets the best on that day is the one that wins.

“If you look at the size of Simba and the quality of our squad, we have had some difficult matches in which we have drawn and we have lost two more at home and away.”

On his best match so far in the Tanzanian league, Bwalya explained: “The JKT Tanzania match played in Dodoma was a good start for me to do well in the league as I played top-class football as well as helping my team win 4-0.

“I remember the match despite playing well I gave the last pass to Meddie [Kagere], who also used it well by scoring one of the four goals.”

Bwalya will be in action as Simba takes on AS Vita Club of the Democratic Republic of the Congo in their third Group A match of the Caf Champions League on Saturday.