Tanzania Football Federation’s secretary general Fredrick Mwakalebela has strongly defended Taifa Stars head coach Marcio Maximo despite a heavy 5-1 thrashing of the national team at the hands of Egypt last week.
When interviewed by Radio One, Mwakalebela said Maximo has led Stars to win many matches since he joined the team in 2006.
However true could be Mwakalebela’s remark, Stars have pulled victories against weak sides yet losing crucial qualifier matches for both African Nations and World Cup berths.
Stars’ CHAN qualification that gave Maximo a lifeline to win contractual re-extension was achieved through beating weak opponents or teams with poor domestic based players.
Under Maximo, Stars failed to beat as weak as Mauritius at home and Cape Verde (away leg) during the 2010 African Nations’/World Cup qualifiers and lose precious points that would have seen the team through to the next stage.
The TFF official played down the public outcry in connection with the team’s poor show at the friendly international against the four-time African champions, Egypt.
Mwakalebela’s point of defence was pivoted on the fact that Maximo has worked above the call of duty to transform the team since his arrival.
However, Mwakalebela’s response to Stars failure never met satisfaction of the soccer fans while Maximo has been put on sword for his conspicuous adamancy in fielding experimental and or off form players.
The poor selection of players without assessing their present performance is what irked people most than the subsequent defeat.
Fans would have been highly satisfied with a loss resulting from a formidable side rather than the line-up that featured for the team last Thursday.
While it is undisputedly known that the Brazilian coach has rich, valid and unrivaled soccer credentials above the rest of the domestic-based coaches, none of them would have committed such a dreadful poor selection blunder.
Probably the circumstances surrounding employment of Brazilian coach keeps the soccer federation officials too tightlipped to criticise him.
Being relieved of the coach’s remuneration package for the fourth year running, the soccer federation officials can not unleash their claws against Maximo under any circumstance.
The paradox on Maximo-TFF relationship is actually squared on the conspicuous budget relief enjoyed by the soccer federation while another party takes control of the coach’s payroll.
TFF is actually toothless and can neither reprimand nor sack Maximo as a result of Stars lackluster show at international matches.
