Juma Mgunda has been appointed as a caretaker coach for Simba SC in Tanzania.
A statement from Simba CEO Barbara Gonzalez says Mgunda has been tasked with leading the team temporarily.
Mgunda’s first assignment is taking Simba to Malawi for Saturday’s CAF Champions League preliminary round first leg match against Nyasa Big Bullets.
Mgunda is an experienced coach with a good track record in managing teams in Tanzania.
His actual employers Coastal Union FC have allowed Mgunda to join Simba temporarily.
Simba have gone for a temporary replacement for their sacked coach Zoran Manoljovic to fulfill a requirement that a head coach leading a team in the CAF Champions League must have a minimum qualification of a CAF A-Licence.
Simba announced the sacking of Manoljovic on Tuesday when he had already landed a new job at Al Ittihad FC in the Egyptian Premier League.
Egyptian channel Ten has quoted Ittihad vice-chairperson Ahmed Abdelmajid confirming the hiring of the former Wydad Casablanca mentor Manoljovic.
“The board of directors, led by Mohamed Moselhi studied my CVs of several coaches, but it was decided that to choose Zoran Manoljovic because of his knowledge of Arab and African football. He is due to arrive in Alexandria on September 12 2022 and will be accompanied by a foreign assistant.”
Gonzalez released a statement on Tuesday announcing that they had parted ways mutually with the Serb, goalkeeper coach Mohamed Rachid and fitness trainer Sbai Karim.
“Simba Sports Club wishes them all the best in their future endeavours. They will always remain part of Simba family. The recruitment of the head coach is underway, and shall be announced once the new candidate has been identified.”
Simba sacked the coach barely two months after hiring him to replace Spaniard Pablo Franco Martin.
Selemani Mattola is the current acting head coach for Simba with Mohamed Hussein as his assistant.
Mattola served as an assistant to Manoljovic and his predecessor Pablo Franco Martin.
Simba are desperate for a coach who can turn around the team’s fortunes instantly after losing all domestic silverware to rivals Yanga last season.
