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Eddie Chikamhi
Senior Sports Reporter
SPARE a thought for Prince Dube who, in terms of form, is probably the best performing Warriors’ forward, right now.
Just when he was taking his game, to another level, the man known as football’s ”Pretty Prince,” is back in the casualty ward again.
He picked a knock, in the quarter-finals of the Azam Sports Federation Cup match against Rhino Rangers, yesterday.
The Azam forward limped off the pitch, less than 10 minutes into the match, and played no further part, in the game.
The extent of his injury was yet to be established, by last night, but he was visibly in pain, as he wobbled, off the pitch.
Azam, who featured Zimbabwean Bruce Kangwa in their starting line-up, went on to win the match 3-1.
They joined Young Africans, and Biashara United, in the last four.
They could also get the company of Simba SC, who were scheduled to play Dodoma Jiji, later in the evening, in Tanzania’s main FA Cup.
However, Dube’s injury could derail his bid to win the Golden Boot race, in Tanzania, which he leads, with 14 goals.
The former Highlanders star has battled a series of injuries, which kept him out of action, from a considerable number of games, this season.
Rwandan Meddie Kagere, with 11 goals, and his Simba SC teammate, John Bocco, who has scored 10 league goals this season, are also firmly in the race, for the Golden Boot. That Dube leads the scoring charts, despite spending a considerable amount of time, on the treatment tables, has been used to illustrate why he is the best striker, in the Tanzanian top-flight league, today.
Club chief executive, Abdulkarim Amin, told journalists in Tanzania they will not sell Dube, to any of their rivals, who include Simba SC and Young Africans.
“In short, Prince Dube is very much an Azam player, and he is not being sold, at any cost, here in Tanzania.
“If he leaves then it will be abroad,” said Amin.
The Tanzanian Premiership, where Zimbabwean players have been flocking to in recent years, continues to consolidate its value.
The country’s top-flight league signed a broadcast deal, which is 10 times higher than the value of the sponsorship, of the domestic Premier Soccer League.
The Tanzania Football Federation, who control their top-flight league, this week announced the renewal of their broadcast rights, with Azam TV, worth US$100 million, for the next 10 years.
The deal comes on top of a US$3.9m deal, which was entered into by TFF with Vodacom, as the title sponsors of the league, two years ago, to boost the quality of their game.
“For the 2021/2022 season, sponsorship money will be US$ 5.1 million, clubs will receive US$ 3.4 million and the remaining US$ 1.7 million will go into football development,” said Azam chief executive, Tido Mhando. This means each club will get US$215 000, per season.
The money will increase every season, and the 2022/2023 season sponsorship will be US$5.7 million, and teams will receive US$ 3.8 million.
The deal will also see the winner’s prize money increased, with the eventual champions, taking home US$215 000.
The runners-up will get US$107 500, the third placed team will receive US$97 000 while the team, which finishes fourth, will get US$86 000.
There will also be bonus, for all clubs, except those who will be relegated, to the lower division.
Azam TV have also made significant investments in Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda and Burundi football leagues.
Tanzania Football Federation president, Wallace Karia, said the sponsorship was a vote of confidence, in the direction Tanzanian football has been taking, in the last few years.
“The amount this partnership is pumping into our football is testament enough of how we have grown administratively,” he said.
”When I came in 2017, the partnership was valued at Tsh5 billion but now we have secured the Tsh225.6 billion deal.”
Karia believes the partnership, with the Tanzanian broadcaster, will help the league grow even better.
”This is a big deal that has never happened before and many will agree the standard of our league has been growing, season in, season out.
”We are also ranked in position eight, in the best leagues, in Africa.
“This deal will attract big players, from our region, to our league and we will emphasise the need for even better growth by implementing better policies, for the youth teams, the legal framework of the league, transparent leadership and infrastructure.”
Karia said that the bulk of the money will go straight to the clubs and explained how it must be utilised.
There will be punishment, which will accompany misappropriation.
“This deal will specifically help our clubs because a huge percentage of the money is meant for them,” he said.
”But, the money available calls for compliance, and transparency, which means we will need financial reports regularly, from the clubs. “The money must be used, according to the guidelines and, if a club flouts the guidelines, the amount of money for such a club will be reduced, or cancelled, altogether.
”This money is specifically allocated for the salaries, travel and medical expenses of the players.
“The money should not be used, whatsoever, for paying debts or buying players.”
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