STARS TO REGROUP NEXT WEEK

stars to regroup next week

Taifa Stars head coach, Marcio Maximo (C) is sandwiched by national youth soccer team coach Rodrigo Stockler (R) and physical trainer, Marcelo Guerreiro during a press briefing held in Dar.
Tanzania national soccer team, Taifa Stars, are expected to camp next Wednesday for two weeks training sessions ahead of next month’s international friendly against New Zealand.Dar es Salaam’s National Stadium will be the venue of the friendly on June 3.

Stars’ Brazilian coach Marcio Maximo said there will be no change of the squad whose camp was dissolved on Monday after last week’s friendly against visiting DR Congo that ended in 2-0 defeat to the home side.

He said all the 25 players would be recalled for training. The match against New Zealand would be used to gauge the national team and be part of the preparations for the Senior East and Central African Challenge Cup as well as 2012 African Nations Cup qualifiers.

New Zealand will be making a stopover in Dar es Salaam enroute to compete in the FIFA Confederations Cup in South Africa next month.

Visiting New Zealand national team are a force to reckon having some players who are featuring in European top flight leagues, the English Premiership inclusive.

Maximo said the composition of the new-look Stars is highly dominated by players with ages between 17 and 25 years that need frequent matches to stay fit and competitive.

After three years of trial and error, the Brazilian strongly believes the team would make impact at international stage within a short spell.

Despite poor show in their last week’s friendly against visiting DR Congo, Maximo still showered praise to Henry Joseph, Mrisho Ngasa, Jerry Tegete and Kigi Makasi as matured players capable of playing in any league on the globe.

Stars technical bench was last week beefed up with the arrival of Brazilian coaching duo of Marcelo Guerreiro (physical fitness trainer) and Rodrigo Stockler (youth national teams coach).
The duo was shocked by the Stars’ defeat in their maiden attempt with DRC Congo despite heavy trumpet to drill the team into winning ways soon after their arrival.

Stars have never won any international friendly since the beginning of the year, after two barren draws with Zimbabwe in February and later with Vancouver Whitecaps in March.

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