Tanzania Football Federation (TFF) has announced that Vodacom Premier League for 2008/2009 season is scheduled to commence on August 23 at different venues throughout the country.
Speaking in Dar es Salaam yesterday, TFF Information Officer Florian Kaijage said that the league is expected to include 12 teams of which 10 teams will be those which took part in the previous season while two teams are going promoted from the National Football League.
He also said that all teams which are going to compete in the 2008/9 season shall be required to comply with TFF’s players registration procedures that will be announced later.
Currently, all teams are supposed to declare names of all players they want to drop before June 14.
National football league is set to kickoff in two phases; the first phase will start on June 28 and finish on July 14 while the second phase will began on July 19 and end on July 26.
The first phase of that league will take place in four venues, namely Ruvuma, Dar es Salaam, Shinyanga and Arusha. The second phase is going to be held in Dodoma and Mwanza.
Eighteen teams are expected to compete in the national football league.
In order to ensure that the league is conducted in harmonious situation, TFF National football league committee will verify the teams and players registration process.
Meanwhile, Vodacom, which is the main sponsor of the Premier League, yesterday handed over several awards totaling Tshs 71.5million.
Vodacom Marketing and Sponsorship Director Ephraim Mafuru said that Vodacom will improve its sponsorship deal in 2008/9 season in order to increase competitiveness among the teams which will compete in the Premier League.
TFF Secretary General Fredrick Mwakalebela announced the award for the best goalkeeper went to Juma Kaseja who was awarded Tshs 1.5million, best coach is Juma Mwambusi of Prisons who was awarded Tshs 2million and the best referee is Peter Mjaya from Pwani Region who took home Tshs.2.5million.
Kagera Sugar`s striker Michael Katende emerged the top scorer and was given Tshs 2million prize while Pan African football club was given Tshs.5million as prize for being the team with good discipline.
Likewise, 2007/8 Premier League champions Young African Sports Club (Yanga) received Tshs 35million prize, the second place winner Prisons took Tshs 13millioni whereas Simba Football Club got Tshs 8million for finishing third.
Those three teams and eight others will also receive several awards from Cable Television network GTV which is the co-sponsor of the Vodacom Premier League.
- SOURCE: Guardian
