Five South Africans At Simba SC Including Three Former Mamelodi Sundowns Employees! Steve Barker reinforces Tanzanian giants' technical team as 19-goal goal Nigerian striker returns to SA club

As he begins his era with Tanzania Mainland Premier League giants Simba SC, ex-Stellenbosch head coach Steve Barker has incorporated former Mamelodi Sundowns and AmaZulu technical bench members into his backroom staff. 

Barker takes over from Dimitar Pantev, who was sacked after being in charge for a short period after he was appointed to replace former Orlando Pirates coach Fadlu Davids.

Although Barker has come in with his trusted lieutenants, they will work with Seleman Matola, whom they have found at the club. Matola has been a consistent figure at the Kariokor giants, despite the many coaches that have come and left. 

The Tanzanian tactician has been a trusted man by the Simba hierarchy, as they believe he brings a sense of continuity between different transitions.

Now, Matola will work as Barker's assistant on a technical bench that consists of the goalkeeper's coach, Davies Phiri; performance analyst Prinil Deen, who previously worked with Mamelodi Sundowns; and fitness coach Sibusiso Makhula.

The new South Africans join their counterparts, Neo Maema, who is on a one-year loan deal from Masandawana, and Rushine De Reuck, who was brought on board to strengthen the playing unit.

De Reuck is a former Sundowns defender and played quite well on his official debut during the Community Shield in September. Young Africans beat Simba to extend their unbeaten streak against their arch-rivals. 

In the last four seasons, Simba have suffered at the hands of Young Africans, popularly known as Yanga SC.

Despite going from coach to coach, Yanga have maintained dominance over Simba, as they have won the league title on four straight occasions. The dominance started with Nasreddine Nabi, who left, and Miguel Gamondi was appointed. Gamondi was replaced by Sead Ramovic, who did not last long before he was replaced by Miloud Hamdi.

After Hamdi won the league title last season, he left, and Wananchi brought on board Romain Folz, who lasted a few games and was sacked because the club struggled early in the CAF Champions League campaign. Currently, the Tanzanian league and cup champions are under Soares Goncalves. 

Simba have followed the same path of replacing coaches when results are not going their way, but with limited success.

Former Simba head coach Dylan Kerr has explained what Barker needs at the club in order to succeed.

“The biggest thing he needs to do is to beat Yanga. That’s all Simba coaches have to do to ease the pressure on themselves,” Kerr told FARPost.

“It’s the same when you are at Yanga [Young Africans]; all you need to do is beat Simba. There are 18 teams in the league, but the three biggest teams are Yanga, Simba, and Azam SC. Simba and Yanga are like Chiefs and Pirates. When Simba plays away, it will be full of Simba fans.  

“Everybody in Tanzania backs Simba, and if you can get the backing of those supporters, you will be a hero. If he does, then on his first game when they play them, he will be a hero forever. It means so much to the supporters. But I wish him all the best, and I hope it really goes well. He’s chosen to leave a very good club with amazing facilities, and let’s hope he continues with his journey to Tanzania.”

Simba are winless in six games against Yanga, and that is the immediate priority Barker is expected to end. Since they were formed in the mid-1930s, Simba and Yanga have defined the Tanzanian football alternating dominance between themselves despite the emergence of an ambitious, well-financed Azam FC.

Meanwhile, Nigerian striker Babatunde Adepoju has returned to National First Division side Venda FC.

His loan spell with Malawian giants Nyasa Big Bullets has come to an end, and he signed off in style. He scored twice and provided an assist in Big Bullets' 4-0 win over Mzuzu City Hammers on Saturday in a Super League game. 

"Scoring twice in my final match was special. It was a special way to say goodbye, and I am grateful for everything the club gave me," Adepoju told the club's media.