Zanzibar Football Association, ZFA, has signed a five-year deal with English coach Stewart John Hall here yesterday.
Hall, whose earlier bid to coach the Tanzania national soccer team, Taifa Stars, collapsed in May, will be responsible for the Zanzibar national soccer team, The Heroes.
ZFA president Ali Fereji Tamim said Hall will be assisted by home-based coaching duo of Hemed Morocco and Ally Kidi.
Cash-strapped ZFA has teamed up with
Future Century and Global Scouting Beural (GSB) firms to meet the remuneration package of the Englishman.
Hall becomes the first Englishman to take responsibility of coaching Zanzibar Heroes who are only featuring in annual East and central African Challenge Cup championship.
The coach is expected to start his duties the sooner the Zanzibar premiership soccer season comes to an end later this month.
“We are proud of our efforts to contract the English coach independently without assistance from the Government to exhibit our commitment in football development,” said Tamim.
However, Tamim declined to disclose the contractual package to be paid to the English coach and other clauses.
Hall said he would coach the team on perpetual basis regardless whether there is a tournament ahead or not as long as players will be available.
Future Century’s executive chairperson Hellen Masanja said beside her firm’s core business in construction, they also have deep commitment to develop soccer in Zanzibar.
She said the coach would also be responsible to conduct some football clinics for the Zanzibar young players as well.
Hall said he has set up both short and long term soccer programmes so as to improve soccer in the Isles but would urgently need hand in glove cooperation.
He remained optimistic that there will be a breakthrough to attain success especially if all he has set would be strictly adhered to.
Hall has in possession of UEFA’s first division coaching licence with a background of propelling St. Vicent & Gernadines U-20 side into the 2008 Concacaf finals.
