SIMBA head into the 2024/25 season with renewed optimism after finally resolving the uncertainty over their technical bench, internal wrangles and the return of Mohamed ‘Mo’ Dewji to the forefront of the club’s activities.

Simba have been in a tough spot over the last three years, failing to find a truly winning formula under different coaches. 

That list of coaches includes the likes of Abdelhak Benchikha and Robert Oliveira, who have proven to be adept at picking up silverware in their illustrious careers.  

The next man in the Simba hot seat is highly-rated South African coach Fadlu Davids, who has built a stellar reputation at Orlando Pirates, Maritzburg United and Raja Casablanca. 

Davids has signed a two-year contract with Simba and is now ready to start a new era at the club, looking to take them back to the top of Tanzanian football once again. 

Naturally, Davids’s appointment won’t be to everyone’s taste. But most commentators agree that change is necessary and that a fresh pair of hands at the wheel can only mean a better direction for Simba, hopefully forward and upward, back to the top of the league where the club belongs. 

Davids has a big task on his hands, with Simba needing to improve their league position after finishing 11 points adrift of champions Young Africans last season.  

One of the biggest coaching jobs in Tanzania football is at Simba. The Msimbazi Reds are one of the most successful clubs in East Africa when it comes to trophies, history and prestige. 

At Simba, expectations are high on Davids to help them go above fierce rivals Young Africans. However, that is easier said than done. 

In the dugout at the Msimbazi Street-based side, he’ll need to focus on a number of factors before even closing the current gap with Young Africans. 

His work is clearly cut out for him as he has to tackle many problems, which may include finding new key players and inspiring some of the current players to get back to their best form. 

Simba have made a major overhaul of their squad by signing ten new players so far with more expected before the transfer window closes on August 15th. 

Last season’s key members, Clatous Chama and Henock Inonga, have left the team leaving holes in the first eleven that will need to be filled by the arrivals. 

It is not yet clear if Davids had an input in the acquisitions as he arrived when more than half of the signings had already been made. 

What is clear is the work of integrating the new members into the team, identifying his first lineup and a steady crop of backup players. 

Additionally, Davids will have to deal with other major issues off the pitch too, as he’ll need a steady head to cope with the heavy expectations placed on him as coach from both the fans and owner. 

This will be Davids's first job as a head coach of a club outside South Africa. It is a new personal challenge. 

Simba have taken a gamble on him on the basis of his working in a foreign land after being Josef Zinnbauer's assistant coach in Russia and Morocco, and he also played in Bulgaria. 

For a club that considers victory to be part of their DNA, securing silverware right out of the gate would go a long way to proving he’s the right man for the job, even if a little patience is needed. 

Those expecting Davids to come in and wave a magic wand and transform Simba are in for a rude awakening. 

The South African’s arrival will not solve all Simba’s problems in one season, although he will likely improve things on the pitch. 

The group of players that the new Simba boss has inherited will take time to adjust to his style and the club. 

It will take time and patience from the club's hierarchy and fans to get Simba back to the pinnacle of the Tanzanian game.