Dar Es Salaam — NATIONAL youth coach, Rodrigo Stockler has expressed confidence over Tanzania's chances of excelling in the forthcoming African U-20 championship qualifiers due to kick off from next month.

Revealing his 35-man provisional squad ahead of the championship's preliminary round match against Malawi next month, the Brazilian said he has "high confidence" in the youngsters' ability to deliver in the tournament.

Stockler said the team will start training next Monday in Dar es Salaam and that the team will have a brief break after ten days of working out.

The training will resume on March 30 continuously until they head to Malawi for the first leg match.

He said after the first phase training, eight players will be dropped to remain with 27.

The 35 players who will start training at the Karume Memorial Stadium are: Komein Abubakar, Salehe Malande, Mohamed Aziz, Said Mussa, Aman Kyata, Leonard Minyige, Sadick Gawaza, Tumba Suedi, Jukumu Joachim, Himid Mao, Joseph Mahundi, Hamis Mroki, Issa Rashid, Jonas Salvatory, Abou Ubwa, Adilu Sambilu, Ali Teru, Hamis Mohamed and Hamis Thabit.

Others are: Akida Mwalimu, Abdallah Hussein, Omary Mtaky, Omega Seme, Thomas Ulimwengu, Michael Mgimwa, Gerome Lambele, Mohamed Abdul, Hassan Abdulkadir, Abdul Telela, Ally Thabit, Abdallah Bunu, Ahmad Suleiman, Faraji Hussein, Mbwana Samatta and Yusuf Soka.

"I'm very optimistic about our chances to get through. We've a strong group of young players with enough experience and they can play against best teams all around the continent," Stockler said while speaking of his team's chance of making it to the next year's African youth championship in Libya.

According to the fixture released recently by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), the Tanzania youngsters will take on familiar foes, Malawi in the preliminary round on April 17 and should they succeed, they will come up against mighty Cote d'Ivoire - the final hurdle before they could reach the finals.

About the coming game against Malawi, Stockler commented that they will be facing tough opponents, but he was convinced the vast experience of his players in international competitions and that of playing Malawi several times in the past would help them excel.

"We're accustomed to playing Malawi in youth tournaments, we played them twice in Copa Coca Cola U-17 championship in South Africa and we met again in Sudan during Cecafa tournament, they have got very good youth teams and have always proved tough opponents to play against and don't forget they played in the U-17 World Cup finals last year."

Tanzania U-17 team came victorious in all three occasions and Stockler who masterminded the trio wins is convinced that his current squad which features most of the players, who played against the Malawians, will be buoyed by their good record against their opponents.

"I've selected most of the players who played in South Africa and Sudan, including those who went to Brazil with Marcos Tinoco (his predecessor).

It's a group of talented and experienced players, some are regularly playing for premier league sides and about five of them are involved in senior team (Taifa Stars) Programmes."

If Tanzania will overcome Malawi, they will take on Ivory Coast in July, this year in the first round match and Stockler was alert about the fixture, admitting that the road to Libya is never a smooth ride.

"It's very tough because if we get past Malawi, we'll be facing Ivory Coast who are definitely strong opponents," said Stockler on the prospect of playing the West African soccer giants.