Mashujaa FC goalkeeper Lameck Kanyonga has stressed the importance of giving local goalkeepers opportunities and trust in clubs competing in Tanzania’s top-flight league, saying the country has many talented goalkeepers capable of competing with foreign players.
Kanyonga said the biggest challenge facing local goalkeepers is the lack of sufficient opportunities to showcase their abilities, a situation that prevents them from proving their quality in the league.
He explained that Tanzanian goalkeepers should be given playing time to demonstrate their abilities rather than being judged before they have had the opportunity to prove what they can do on the pitch.
“We have many talented goalkeepers in Tanzania who can compete with foreign players coming into the country. Our biggest challenge is that we are not given opportunities and trusted,” Kanyonga said while discussing the situation of local goalkeepers in Tanzanian football.
He added that players should be given opportunities to prove their abilities, and only after they have failed to perform should their capabilities be assessed.
According to Kanyonga, the lack of such opportunities can also undermine local players’ confidence. He therefore called on clubs to continue trusting local goalkeepers and giving them opportunities to compete.