Simba SC head coach Steve Barker has insisted that his team is not under any pressure in the race for the Mainland Premier League title, stressing that the focus remains on winning their remaining matches.
Simba, currently second on the table with 58 points, are closely chasing leaders Yanga SC, who have 60 points after both teams have played 25 matches. The intense competition has kept the title race wide open, with both sides waiting for any slip-ups from the other.
Despite Simba having gone four consecutive seasons without winning the league title while Yanga have dominated during that period, Barker says his squad is not burdened by pressure but instead focused on building a clear football identity.
“We want to be a club with our own identity. Every day in training we work to ensure Simba has its own way of playing regardless of the opponent. The most important thing is that we don’t put ourselves under title pressure. We know that to win the championship we must win our matches, and that is what matters most,” Barker was quoted as saying by Mwanaspoti.
The coach also expressed satisfaction with the mid-season signings, highlighting new arrivals such as Clatous Chama, Nickson Kibabage, Libasse Gueye, and Anicet Oura as key additions that have boosted competition within the squad.
Chama, Kibabage, Gueye, and Oura have all played important roles in the team’s recent improvements, increasing depth and quality across different areas of the pitch.
“The players we brought in have been very useful. They have increased competition and given us more options in different areas. We believe in the quality of everyone, and they are a key part of our structure,” he added.
Barker said Simba are currently focusing on one game at a time without looking at rivals’ results, emphasizing that the pressure is greater for teams at the top than those chasing behind.
“We are not focusing too much on what others are doing. What we want is to keep playing well and winning our matches. I think the pressure is more on other teams than Simba. Often when you are at the top, you carry more pressure than those in second or third place,” he said.
