Kenyan international and Simba SC midfielder Francis Kahata has pointed out the big difference he has experienced while playing in Tanzania compared to his stint at Gor Mahia.
The Harambee Stars playmaker, who featured in last year’s African Cup of Nations in Egypt in last July — months after moving to Dar es Salaam — said the passion the Tanzanian public have for their game and the professionalism in the management of football was incomparable.
“There is a big difference in how Simba are managed compared to Gor Mahia. The Tanzanian giants are more professional. We don’t have issues of delayed salaries, play on good grounds and everything from traveling to team organisation is done well,” said Kahata.
He admitted to taking a short time to settle in Tanzania given the fact that he was well known to the club even before he was signed.
“People in Tanzania were talking about me even before I joined Simba and so it was easy to fit in. The welcome was amazing and helped me settled down quickly,” he observed.
Asked about the difference between the Tanzanian league and Kenyan topflight, Kahata said the presence of sponsors in the former makes all the difference.
“In Tanzania we have many sponsors and fans are also very passionate. This makes all the difference as the welfare of the players is well taken care of.”
In response to the raging debate over allowances for the national team players Kahata admitted the huge bonus the team received before last year’s Africa Cup of Nations finals in Egypt was a good incentive.
“It was good money and to be specific it enabled me to do something I can always look back and remember that going to the Africa Cup of Nations changed my life,” he said.
Kahata further said the training they got in France prior to traveling to Egypt for the tournament courtesy of the government prepared them well.
