Steve Barker earns his maiden accolade in Tanzania after guiding Simba SC to a nine game unbeaten run

Steve Barker earned his maiden award in Tanzania since joining that country’s football giants in Simba SC.

The former Stellenbosch FC coach left the Stellies in December to take up the offer having spent almost a decade at the Cape winelands side.

Barker’s Simba are second on the Tanzanian league but they have been unbeaten in nine matches, a feat which has seen him earn the coach of the month accolade.

“Young Africans striker Laurindo Dilson ‘Depu’ has been named the NBC Premier League Player of the Month for February for the 2025/26 season, while Simba’s Steve Barker has been named the league’s Coach of the Month,” the Tanzanian League announced this week.

“Laurindo has been in fine form for the month, scoring two goals in two matches for Young Africans, helping his team remain at the top of the NBC Premier League standings. The striker beat Simba defender Rushine De Reuck and Azam midfielder Idd Selemani ‘Nado’ to the finals in the Monthly Awards process conducted by the Tanzania Football Federation (TFF) Awards Committee.

“As for Barker, who entered the final with Pedro Goncalves of Young Africans and Florent Ibenge of Azam, he led his team to win two matches and draw one, thus rising from sixth to third place in the NBC Premier League standings.”