Azam go below ‘super third’ tag

AFTER a quite impressive four-year run in the Premier League, Azam have apparently gone backward after enduring their worst start to a season in recent years.

During the past four seasons, Azam, who won promotion into the top flight league in 2008, have finished in top two positions, while winning the league title once.

But a year after scaling a new height - winning regional club championship, CECAFA Cup- Azam’s muchhyped rise seems to take a downward spiral this season, despite yet another massive investment into the team.

They have managed only seven wins from 17 league games they have played so far this season and they stand 14 points behind leaders Simba and ten off second-placed Young Africans.

They have drawn six games in the league while conceding four defeats, letting in 16 goals whilst netting 23. Last Sunday’s 1-1 draw against Majimaji was preceded by a goalless with African Lyon as Zeben Hernandez’s charges continued their stuttering form this season.

There is no shame in sharing the points with fellow bigwigs Simba and Young Africans who will be battling it out for the title. But dropping points continuously to other teams with lesser budgets is a worrying sign for the team that succeeded to break the longstanding Simba-Yanga hegemony.

Hernandez might have breathed a sigh of relief when his side finished the first round with a morale-boosting 4-1 win over Mwadui but two back-to-back draws is a big step backward. So what has gone wrong with the ice-cream makers? A frequent change of the technical bench and the playing staff has not helped Azam.

They won the league under Cameroonian Joseph Omog but he was then sacked. His successor Stewart Hall helped the team to CECAFA glory only to be replaced by Spaniard, Hernandez. The regular change of coaches, coupled with ins and outs, has not helped Azam’s cause.

It seems that new trainer Hernandez is struggling to ingrain his philosophy in his new players as vindicated by their softness this season. There is lack of quality as compared to the previous teams. With strong financial muscles, it looked like Azam had the best of the transfer windows this season but the reality is contrary to the presumptions.

The departure of some key players particularly Paschal Serge Wawa, Kipre Tchetche and Farid Mussa has weakened the team, as new acquisitions have struggled to fill their voids. Wawa was a solid rock in defence when Azam strolled to league and CECAFA glory while Tchetche’s goals and assists were key to their rise to the top.

Mussa’s amazing skills upfront helped unlock defences, leading to crucial goals. Until the end of the 17th round Azam have dropped to the 4th position after their usual ‘third place’ was this weekend taken by Kagera Sugar.

Simba continue to roar threateningly at the pilot seat with 41, four points superior to their traditional rivals Young Africans who have so far notched 37 points from 17 games.