Former Simba SC striker Jean Baleke has sparked debate in Tanzanian football after claiming that since he and Moses Phiri left the club, the Msimbazi Reds have yet to find a centre-forward with greater goalscoring ability than him.
Baleke, who is currently a free agent after parting ways with his most recent club, made the remarks while insisting that Simba’s attacking performances since his departure have remained ordinary compared with the impact he used to make inside the penalty area.
In comments that have sparked widespread discussion on social media and among football fans, the DR Congo striker said the gaps left by his departure and that of Zambian forward Moses Phiri have been significant. He argued that this is why the club has continued to search for new strikers every season without finding a lasting solution.
“Since Phiri and I left Simba, I haven’t seen a striker who came in and showed greater goalscoring prowess than us. Simba are still looking for someone like us,” Baleke said confidently.
Baleke’s comments come amid criticism of Simba for lacking a “clinical finisher” since his departure in January 2024.
After he left, Simba signed strikers such as Freddy Michael Kouablan and Pa Omar Jobe, but they failed to meet supporters’ expectations.
Even in recent seasons, despite the club making significant improvements to its attacking department, many football analysts maintain that Baleke’s ability to find the right positions and finish the final passes remains a distinctive quality.
Some supporters have backed Baleke’s remarks, while others have criticised him, arguing that he is simply boasting, particularly given that he is currently without a club following his departure from his most recent team.
In the previous transfer window, Simba signed strikers Ibrahim Doumbia and Juma Mgunda. However, neither has secured a regular place in the team, with head coach Steve Barker relying more heavily on his attacking midfielders to score goals.
Barker has also been forced to change Elie Mpanzu’s role. Since being given new responsibilities as a central striker, Mpanzu has become a threat to opposing teams, scoring four league goals so far.
