When Simba signed Bernard Morrison there was high hope they would tame him – but the sight of this gifted but unfulfilled talent boarding a plane to return to Ghana suggests the goodwill has, after all, finally been exhausted. On Friday, Simba confirmed in a signed statement they have granted the Ghanaian an unusual leave and wished him well in his next move.“Simba have given Bernard Morrison a leave until the end of the season. Simba reached the decision after both sides agreed to give Morrison an opportunity to rest and take care of his personal affairs.” Simba and bad boy Morrison part ways?It is not premature to conclude that Morrison’s stay at Simba has ended as he will be out of contract in July and Simba went on to wish him well for the time he will be locked out of their activities and in future endeavors.“With this contribution and success the club thanks the fans’ darling for his dedication in fighting for the club. Simba wishes all the best to Bernard Morrison during his leave and on his next football.”However Morrison claims he has family issues which will affect his output so he has to step back from the club and get it solved. He posted on his Twitter handle.“It is with heavy heart to announce that I will be out for the remainder of the season due to family issues that are beyond my control and might affect my performance for the team if I represent the club. A lot needs to be said about it but I can only wish the club the best of luck.”It has been a tumultuous two years. It feels like a thousand years since a beaming Morrison couldn’t hide the way he felt inside in front of thousands of Simba fans who attended the club’s annual pre-season celebration and announced “Simba is the University of football in Tanzania.”Morrison clinched the league title last, the Federation Cup, Azam Cup and Mapinduzi Cup. He helped the team reach the quarterfinals of the CAF Champions League and the Confederation Cup.In just two and half years here, he has managed to play for both Dar giants, Simba and Young Africans. He has his issues and is very unpredictable both on and off the field. He may very well upset the dynamic of the dressing room or the balance of the team. He may well get sent off and not put a shift in.T-shirt imeandikwa kila la heri Bernard Morrison,Wadau hii kitaalam inaitwaje? pic.twitter.com/j5fwjp3HLG— omarr kombo (@omarrkombo12) May 15, 2022 Morrison has a tendency to sulk, switch off and become redundant in a game. He has been accused of deliberately choosing when to play because he seems to need to be ‘in the mood’ and puts his own needs ahead of those of the team.At both Simba and Young Africans he missed many games. It’s alleged he can miss training sessions or go awol without justification. In all, Morrison has played from start to finish in less than ten games for Simba.Early this year, he was suspended by Simba for breaching camp rules. The club stated he would only be allowed back to the squad after formally writing to the Chief Executive Officer, Barbara Gonzalez. With Simba facing difficult CAF Confederation Group Stage games, Morrison was reinstated to the team.Talented playerOn the other side, we all know what a devastatingly dangerous footballer Morrison can be on his day. His dribbling is such an effective weapon, instilling fear in defenders, he gives you hope he can create something out of nothing anytime.For all his very frustrating discipline issues he is also one of the most potent attacking midfielders to ever set foot in Tanzanian football. He is strong and fast. He’s got everything in his locker to become one of the best.Though the consensus is that he is a good player, let us not forget there is a reason he is in Tanzania despite his talent. There is the not so little matter of Morisson being clubless before Young Africans plucked him out of a certain Ghanain village where he is reported to have gone hiding after falling out with Orlando Pirates and AS Vita. Balancing the pulpit and immense Gor Mahia role: Oudu finds favourInconsistency The biggest issue with Morrison is his almost deliberate infuriating inconsistency.. His good days are few and far between.For Simba, he was anonymous in the league either missing a big chunk of the games through indiscipline issues or playing meaningless cameos. In the true sense of Morrison’s conundrum he was the difference in Simba continental campaign. He delivered when it mattered.Simba wouldn’t get to the CAF Confederation Cup quarter final without his goal contributions. He single handedly destroyed Red Arrows at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium with two goals and one assist to give Simba an almost unassailable first leg advantage.He put in one of the best performances we’ve seen in the CAF Confederation Cup playoff.He danced through a village of Red Arrows defenders before setting Meddie Kagere for the simplest of all tap-ins. He scored a brilliant free kick goal before nutmegging the goalkeeper for the third goal. He was directly involved in all three goals in addition to missing a penalty kick in the same game.The controversial midfielder joined Young Africans in January 2020 but fell out with the club barely four months after jetting into the country. At Young Africans he would be remembered for a brilliant free kick goal that led them to an unforgettable 1-0 derby victory over Simba in front of the late President John Magufuli.He unceremoniously fellout with Young Africans over a contract extension then made a shock move to their Msimbazi rivals at the start of the 2020-21 season. The move irked Young Africans who insisted Morrison still had a two-year contract with them and filed a case to TFF’s Legal, Ethics and Players’ Status Committee.The Legal, Ethics and Players’ Status Committee ruled that Morrison was a free agent and cleared the player to join Simba. Unsatisfied with the move, Young Africans then proceeded to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne, Switzerland.In November last year, The Court of Arbitration for Sport under Judge Patrick Stewart from England dismissed an appeal which was filed by Young Africans. Dan Ngulu: Mathare United should be rescued, even with relegation assuredFast forward to May, Morrison is almost certain to be looking for another home away from home when the transfer window reopens. The nature of his transfer from Young Africans to Simba already meant a fallout with his Msimbazi bosses was a possibility from the outset.The reality is, both Simba and Young Africans knew Morrison comes with a lot of baggage. Even if you put a good conduct clause in his contract to ensure that if he goes out of the line, there will be financial penalty fees, Morrison will still be the same on and off the pitch.He is untamed, unmanageable, a supreme talented player who is never going to stay focused during training and matches. Is the Morrison baggage worth the unexpected, inconsistent moments of brilliance?Michael Mwebe is a Tanzanian Football Writer and Consultant with Siyavuma Sports Group. You can reach out to him on mike@siyavumasports.com
