Exclusive Interview

 

Mission 2010

Filled with passion and devotion to promote Tanzanian football to international standards, the newly elected Tanzania Football Federation (TFF) President, Leodgard Tenga believes that the youth should be the focus and developing soccer facilities in schools would be the only prescription to revive football and make possible the dream of participating in 2010 World Cup.

He is a mechanical engineer (M.D. of Land Rover Tanzania) who is equally at ease with dribbling a football through the defence of the opposition. He is a man of rare stature and professionalism. But above all, he is a visionary who can dare to dream. And he has his target set – Leodegar Tenga, the recently elected President of Tanzania Football Federation (TFF) envisages 2010 as the year when Tanzania would play in the stadiums of South Africa as one of the participants in the Soccer World Cup, the biggest event for the game. He shared his vision and persona in an exclusive interview with The Express. He believes in getting things done, he is professional and punctual with decades of commitment to football in Tanzania behind him – right from being a junior representative of the national team to its leader in four consecutive years from 1977 to 1981. A multifaceted man who has his profession as an engineer, passion in football, and interest in movies and stage performances, Tenga believes in being a simpleton. For its sake, he would rather buy a used mobile phone for the price of new.

The Express: When are we (Tanzania) going for World Cup?
Tenga: I would like it to be 2010, but I know we will need a lot of efforts to make it to the World Cup. We have to start the preparations now.

The Express: Don’t you think we should have started preparing 20 years ago?
Tenga: I agree with you. Teams like Nigeria started training its players since 1980’s, most of their national team players like Kanu started with youth team. This is what we are trying to do here in Tanzania, strengthen our base for a strong national team.

The Express: How do you intend to do so?
Tenga: Currently we are working on developing the under-19 football team, we also want to promote youth football in schools through youth competitions. Also 1st division premier league will have youth team as a pre requisite. As a team of leadership we are going to ask the stakeholders in all the regions to go through the Tanzania Football Federation (TFF) constitution and give their critique, so that we come out with a constitution that is acceptable by the majority.

The Express: What are your plans for promoting football for women?
Tenga: Aah! We have to make sure women football is developed, we have to coach our women players and we have to change people’s mindset towards women’s football. At least now people are liberating. Parents see girls in other countries play football and they want their daughters to play football also.

The Express: Do you think TFF leadership is a personal calling to you?
Tenga: I have always believed one needn’t have a position to give contribution. I had not planned to contest, I always thought I lived my time, I played, I coached, I did my part and now I could just push from the outside, but then there comes a point in ones life that you feel, the best way to get things done is to do it yourself.

The Express: Were you sure of winning?
Tenga: I believed I was going to win. There is no way something supported by majority of Tanzanians could fail. Tanzanians wanted to see some fundamental changes in Tanzanian football.

The Express: At the time when you were waiting for the results to be announced, what was your state of mind?
Tenga: I was very confident. I wanted us to win because that would be the turning point of our football as a nation. I was more worried when I was watching the Serengeti Boys play in Zambia.

The Express: What would have been your reaction if you had lost the election?
Tenga: I would lose but my ideas would be picked up. The zeal that I saw among Tanzanians for football would not have died. Somebody would implement the ideas I have been advocating for the betterment of our football. For the first time I saw Tanzanians demand changes to develop a game so loved by all that in itself is a victory.

The Express: Now that you are in position, how do you intend to uproot the old system of doing things?
Tenga: I am not very sure whether the roots are deep. I know, not that I believe, even the former leaders wanted changes, they wanted to see Tanzanian football develop. It will take time before our football has fully developed but it is already satisfying that we now have a common goal, to promote our football.

The Express: How is it that you are so passionate about football?
Tenga: When we were children all we could do is swim in the river and play football, so I grew up playing football and the school system helped me to develop my football skills. I went to Pugu Secondary School and then Kibaha High School in late 1960’s and we had all the facilities there, good play grounds, trained coach and youth competitions. This is something I need to rebuild in Tanzania.

The Express: How long will it take for Tanzanian football to meet international standards?
Tenga: To have the likes of Man United and Arsenal will take ages but you don’t need all that to attain the set goals. We don’t have personal physicians and dieticians but at least our players are checked and we should ensure that they are regularly checked and they get good medical advice and good training.

The Express: What is the difference in the training our national team gets compared to other countries in the world?
Tenga: The intensity is different. When I was in Brazil in 1979 I witnessed Brazilian national team practising three times a day, early morning, late morning and evening, hours of intense training.

The Express: What does it take to be a good football player?
Tenga: 100% mental alertness, you need to think ahead of others and you need to be very much prepared physically and mentally. Football requires a lot of concentration.

The Express: What is Leodegar Tenga apart from a famous name in football?
Tenga: I am a strong believer of African family life, I love my family I like spending time with them. I believe in getting things done. I play loan tennis and I love watching movies, any type whether it is comedy, action or horror. It’s the acting that matters to me the most.