Kariakoo derby: Why Yanga SC stopped hideout camps for Simba SC dates - Said

Yanga SC have come out to explain why they didn't camp outside Dar es Salaam ahead of their Kariakoo derby against rivals Simba SC last week.

In the past, whenever Yanga and Simba were about to meet, the two teams would travel outside Dar es Salaam to prepare for the game but it was not the case in the recent derby, as Yanga pitched camp in the capital city for the second round fixture.

The two teams could travel as far as Zanzibar for residential camping and return to Dar es Salaam a day before the game.

Yanga vice-chairman of the registration committee Hersi Said has since explained the reason they did not go for their hideout in the recent derby, which they won 1-0 courtesy of a first-half goal from Zawadi Mauya.

What has been said?

“In the past, what used to force us to go outside Dar es Salaam was lack of a conducive atmosphere where players could relax and fully concentrate on the big game coming ahead,” Said told Goal.

“You know that a match involving these two sides always put the country on the standstill that is why players and technical bench members are supposed to have ample preparations before heading to the battlefield.

“As such, with the best training facilities available at our new camping site Avic Town, there is no need for the team to go elsewhere and everything is done within the camp.

Said has further said with Yanga owning the Aviv Town training facility, the club does not need to train elsewhere since the camp is among the best in East and Central Africa.

How good is Aviv Town facility?

“There is every training facility like a good pitch, good houses for the players to live with quality kitchen set-up, swimming pool, gym and many other vital things as such, no need to go to other places for further drills ahead of epic derby assignments,” Said continued.

Said has also revealed their plans to invest more on the technical bench, saying it will be the only way to grind out positive results.

“We still remember the words said by former president Jakaya Kikwete during the recently held Annual General Meeting when he reiterated that we must invest a lot in the technical bench and not the technical committee,” Said added.

“Getting such encouraging words from the former president is a big challenge to us and I can assure you that we will work hard to improve our technical panel.”

Yanga are currently second on the 18-team table with 70 points from 32 matches while rivals Simba are top with 76 points from 31 matches, and a draw against Coastal Union will hand the Msimbazi giants the title at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium on Sunday.