FRED MWILA TIPS FAZ

FORMER national soccer team coach Fred Mwila has called on the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) to build on the positives recorded during the 2022 World Cup qualifiers for Zambia not to miss the next AFCON.

In an interview, Mwila, who coached the Chipolopolo in 1993 and 1996 said the team which beat Mauritania 4-0 at Heroes Stadium showed that we have a team that can compete at major tournaments.

Mwila played for American side Atlanta Chiefs in 1967 and Aston Villa in England and expressed disappointment at the Chipolopolo failure to qualify to three consecutive Africa Cup of Nations and the World Cup.

The Nkana legend who also played for Ndola United said there is need for players to work hard when summoned to play for the national team as they hold the key to qualifying to major tournaments.

He said coaches are not to blame for Zambia’s failure to qualify for major events in the last six years because the association had engaged some of the best coaches to drill the squad.

“It is not the coaches that play it is the players. If we took the right players and trained them properly we would qualify for major tournaments and qualifying without the right players it is impossible.

“The game against Mauritania showed the players played very well so we have to build on from there. We need to go back to the drawing board as a country. Meaning we have to go back to the clubs and reinforce the current squad with the right players and train them,” said the 75 year old who was called upon to drill the Chipolopolo when the national team perished in the Gabon Disaster in April 1993.

Zambia came within a point of qualifying to the World Cup 1994, losing out to Morocco.

As coach, Mwila also led Power Dynamos to the 1991 African Cup Winners' Cup and coached the Zebras of Botswana in 1993, the year he was called to drill Chipolopolo after the Gabon disaster.

The 75-year-old also led Ndola United, Nkwazi, Zanaco FC, Botswana’s Township Rollers and TAFIC as head coach.