Kenyan tactician Francis Baraza crowned January Coach of the Month in Tanzania

Coach Francis Baraza when still at Tusker FC as the team played AS Port Louis during the 21st Edition of Total CAF Champions League at Kasarani Stadium in 2017. [Boniface Okendo, Standard]

Former Tusker tactician Francis Baraza has been named the coach of the month for January 2022 Tanzania’s NBC Premier League.

Baraza who is managing Tanzanian side Kagera Sugar FC posted good results at the start of the year with the Millers.

This was announced by the Tanzania Football Federation. “Francis Baraza - Kocha Bora wa Ligi Kuu ya NBC mwezi Januari, 2022.”

(Francis Baraza is the NBC Premier League’s coach of January 2022).

Baraza changed the clubs fortunes which were dwindling sitting at the bottom of the logo at the end of last season with the Kenyan tactician doing magic and have since moved to the sixth position.

Baraza coached side began the season with a 3-3 draw against his former club Biashara United before claiming victory over Dodoma Jiji 2-1 away from home.

The team went ahead to defeat the reigning league champions Simba with a solitary goal.

With seven points in three matches, the Bukoba based side now have an accumulative 19 points which move them six positions on the standing table. 

Out of the 14 matches this season, Kagera have won five matches, drawn four and lost five accumulating 19 points. Youth Africans command the lead on the Premier League table with 36 points followed by Simba who are five points behind the leaders while Azam FC are in the third position with 24 points. 

Mbeya City and Namungo are fourth and fifth with 23 and 20 points respectively.

The former Sony Sugar and Tusker FC player joined a struggling Kagera in March last year from Biashara United who were in position four of the 18-team table where they collected 39 points from 23 matches after winning 11, drawing and losing six.

He picked Kagera when they were at position 13 on the log with 25 points from 24 matches.

He got on board former Sofapaka coach John Waw as goalkeeper trainer and results have started trickling in. 

Baraza has also managed Stima FC, Chemelil Sugar, Muhorini Youth, Sony Sugar and Western Stima.