Don't hire a rookie as coach, FAZ warned

GOVERNMENT has advised the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) against employing a national team coach who will come to Zambia to gain experience but to improve the standards of the game. Minister of Sport, Moses Mawere, said Government was expecting FAZ to recruit a Chipolopolo head coach who will build on the current success and not take Zambia back to losing ways. He was speaking at his office after receiving the COSAFA senior team trophy won last week by the Chipolopolo boys after a 1-0 win over Botswana. “The issue of a national team coach is your baby and of course as a stakeholder we will come in to advice. But definitely we expect you to make a decision which will benefit the Zambian people, because we don’t want you to engage a coach who will affect our performance as a country and we will be the first one as Government to criticise you. We expect this COSAFA achievement to be the light at the end of the tunnel. We have what it takes, the talent is there and now we have to qualify for CHAN, Olympics, and 2022 Qatar World cup,” Mawere said. FAZ president Andrew Kamanga said the association was making strides to fill the position of the head coach for the national team. Mawere also assured Kamanga that his ministry is working tirelessly to raise the thousands of Kwacha to pay the players the outstanding allowances for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier match against Namibia played last March. Zambia beat Namibia 4-2 at National Heroes Stadium. Caretaker coach Aggrey Chiyangi thanked government for the support rendered to the team during the COSAFA campaign. Meanwhile, Inspector General of Police Kakoma Kankanja urged recruit constable, striker Emmanuel Chabula to remain disciplined to maintain his position in the national team. Chabula scored the equalising goal against Malawi to make it 2-2 and sent the game into penalties in a quarter-final match at COSAFA. Zambia won 4-2. Kanganja was also presented with COSAFA gold medals at his office by his officers who were part of the technical bench, team doctor George Phiri, head of security Joe Sakaumba and chief inspector Cephas Mujinga.

The issue of a national team coach is your baby and of course as a stakeholder we will come in to advice. But definitely we expect you to make a decision which will benefit the Zambian people.