IFNA ranked Tanzania seeks qualified netball coach

After the recruitment of qualified football, judo, athletics and boxing coaches, it?s now time for netball as President Jakaya Kikwete has offered to pay for a professional coach.

With no delay to the offer, already the Tanzania Amateur Netball Association (Chaneta), has posted an advertisement in the International Federation of Netball Associations (IFNA) website for qualified coaches worldwide to vie for the post.

An official with Chaneta, Joel Mwakitalu, said yesterday that after the president replied their request through the ministry responsible for sports, the scouting is now going on and they expect for many coaches to apply as the deadline expires on February 6.

Mwakitalu said England, New Zealand, Australia and Africa?s top ranked Malawi, are the major targets for the recruitment.

Chaneta is looking for a national coach with level two or higher from any country with ability to develop the popularity, profile and playing standard of netball in the country.
Salary and benefits for post in include a salary ? between $3,500 ? $5,000 per month, depending on the qualifications, experience, track record and motivation.

The coach to be recruited will focus on the development of the national programme with specific emphasis on the progress of the national team.

Kikwete who is an ardent sports fan and a former patron of the country?s governing basketball body, BATA, before being transformed into Tanzania Basketball Federation (TBF), did similar gesture to football, boxing and athletics.

The football saw the coming of Brazilian Marcio Maximo, whose contract expires this July, while Adres Edwardo Baro and Jorge Luis Bravo Rojas, were recruited as in charge of athletics, while Georvanis Hurtado Pimentel has been assigned to train the boxing team.

Jose Valdes Silva took over as the judo national team head coach.

The aim of recruiting coaches was to enable Tanzania perform well in major international competitions following dismal shows in the yester-years? events.

For netball, after being promoted to the world rankings, the main focus now is for the 2011 Netball World Cup.

Initially, Tanzania was among countries expected to field a team in the 2010 Commonwealth Games in India, but failed to qualify despite being promoted by the world?s governing netball body, IFNA.

However, the urgent need for the country is to qualify for the next year?s World Championship to be hosted by Singapore in July

Tanzania is now ranked 22nd in the world and 4th in Africa aims to be among the top 15 netball teams in the world by year 2012.

Source:thecitizen.co.tz/

Tanzania to play Ivory Coast in friendly

The Elephants, Ivory Coast national team, will land in Dar es Salaam on January 2 for two international friendlies against Taifa Stars.

Briefing reporters yesterday, TFF president Leodegar Tenga, said the teams would clash on January 4 at the National Stadium while the rematch would be on January 7.

Tenga disclosed that The Elephants would come with all their professional players who trade skills in Europe.

Their stars include Didier Drogba and Solomon Kallou of Chelsea, Barcelona midfielder Yahya Toure and Manchester City defender Kolo Toure.

The TFF president said the federation requested the friendlies with Ivory Coast under a full backing of the Government.

"We're embarking on a special programme to promote our stadium ahead of the 2010 World Cup finals, thus the Government has given us maximum support to facilitate the friendly matches," he said.

He underscored: "The matches will not only help market our 60,000-seater stadium, but also strengthen the national team."

Taifa Stars have lately clashed with several African soccer giants including Ghana, Cameroun, Senegal, Egypt and Burkina Faso.

The official said Ivory Coast would stay in the country until a few days before the kickoff of the Africa Cup of Nations slated for Angola.

Commenting on the trip, Ivory Coast Football Federation vice president Idriss Diallo said they were delighted to come and play Taifa Stars.

He said they accepted the invitation due to climatic similarities between Tanzania and Angola.

The Elephants head coach Vahid Halilhodzic echoed Dialo?s comments and confirmed to field a star-studded squad against Taifa Stars.

Source:thecitizen.co.tz/