Simba SC General Manager, Dimitar Nikolaev Pantev, has expressed his ambition to bring trophies and introduce attractive, entertaining football to the club — something he believes is achievable given the quality of players he has found at Msimbazi.
Speaking shortly after arriving in Tanzania, the Bulgarian coach said that although time is limited, it will not take long for him to adapt to the players and to the Tanzanian league itself, adding that everything will soon fall into place.
Pantev, who hails from Bulgaria, has been tasked with leading Simba’s technical team following the departure of former head coach Fadlu Davids.
“My expectations are always to succeed — I’ve done so for the past two seasons with other teams, and I intend to do the same here. I know Simba hasn’t had the best of times over the past two or three seasons, but we must do great things this season and become champions again.”
“Simba is a big and well-known club across Africa. My first goal is to take the team to the CAF Champions League group stage, then lead the league and other domestic competitions,” he said.
Pantev previously coached Victoria United of Cameroon, leading them to the league title in the 2023/24 season, before guiding Gaborone United of Botswana to the championship the following year. He said he wants Simba to play attractive football, believing that playing beautiful, confident football naturally leads to victories. He also praised his players’ ability and expressed confidence in their potential.
“I want us to play beautiful football and win. If we play attractive, confident football that excites the fans, the results will come naturally.”
“Simba has big, talented players who understand the game well. I believe they will follow what we instruct them to do — all they need is confidence and freedom,” he added.
Pantev revealed that he already had knowledge of Simba, having followed the team during their pre-season camp in Egypt. He had also been observing the Tanzanian Premier League closely, especially after learning that his former club, Gaborone United, would face Simba.
“My former team played against Simba, so I had to study them, even during their training camp in Egypt.”
“I’ve also followed the Tanzanian league. There are four or five teams that are stronger than the rest, although the competition is tighter compared to other countries. We must get strong quickly — it’s not easy, but that’s our job as coaches. People lend us their trust, and we must repay it with results,” Pantev said.
Pantev has already started preparing Simba’s squad for their upcoming CAF Champions League first-leg qualifier against Nsingizini Hotspurs.
