TRAIN LOCAL COACHES, FAZ TOLD
THERE is need for the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) to empower local coaches by sending them for refresher courses in Europe for Zambia to achieve its dream of qualifying for a World Cup tournament, says Zambia Sports Fans Association patron Peter Makembo.
Speaking in an interview with Daily Nation Sports in Lusaka, Makembo said local coaches were capable of delivering great results if they could be treated the way foreign coaches were treated.
Makembo said that foreign coaches were motivated with high salaries and freedom to operate unlike local coaches who were allegedly undervalued.
He noted that there was need for Zambia to emulate Senegal, the only team to have Tualified and recorded the first win by an African team at the 2018 Russia World Cup with a local coach who was also the youngest coach at the tournament in Russia.
“We need to pick lessons from the Senegalese. It is the only team at the World Cup with a local coach and look at how they are performing? Zambia too can achieve good results with local coaches. We just need to support them. FAZ should also consider sending local coaches for refresher courses,” Makembo said.
The Zambia national soccer team is operating without a head coach following the resignation of Wedson Nyirenda who left the Chipolopolo in the hands of caretaker coach Beston ‘’quicksilver’’ Chambeshi to join South African 36/ outfit %aroka )&.
,n trying to find a replacement for Nyirenda, FAZ has shortlisted four foreign coaches for the position of head coach at the Zambia senior men’s national football team.
Those in the running for the Chipolopolo top job are Portuguese Rui Aguas, Argentine Esteban Becker Churukián, Northern Irishman John Mckinstry and supposedly favourite for the Chipolopolo top job Sven Vandenbroek who is a former assistant coach of the Cameroon men’s national football team, the position he held from February 2016 to February 2018.