I share same ideas with Tanzanian Football Federation — Amuneke

Emmanuel Amuneke, the newly inaugurated coach of the Tanzanian national team, on Tuesday said he shared the same ideas with the country`s football philosophy.

Amuneke, a former coach of the Nigerian U-17 and U-20 national teams, signed a two-year contract with the Tanzanian Football Federation on Aug. 6 to coach its national teams.

He told our correspondent on the telephone from Dar- es-Salam, Tanzania’s major city and commercial port on the Indian Ocean coast that he was grateful to the Tanzanian FA for choosing him.

“I am grateful to the Tanzanian people. I’m also grateful to the President and General Secretary of the Tanzanian Football Federation for giving me the opportunity to coach their teams.

“We are happy that the ideas that they have is the same with what I have in mind. Hopefully and collectively, we will be able to see how Tanzanian football can grow and develop,’’ he said.

Amuneke, who served as a member of the FIFA technical study group in the Russia World Cup, said that there was need to develop young players.

“African football is laying emphasis on developing young players and that is the direction the Tanzanian football have taken to develop.

“They have good players. Some are playing in Europe and others are playing at home.

“We have our first game against Uganda in September and we will look at our team to improve on it. Work has already started and we will do our best,’’ he said.

The former Nigerian and Barcelona winger, assured that through hard work, discipline and collective efforts, he would move Tanzanian football forward.