East wants more funding for provinces

THE Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) in Eastern Province has called on football councillors to consider increasing funding to provinces when they meet to deliberate on issues affecting the Zambian game during the FAZ annual general meeting.

FAZ has announced that the meeting will be this Saturday at Government Complex in Lusaka.

FAZ Eastern Province vice chairman, Patrick Nyirenda said there is need for provinces to be empowered with more funding for the successful facilitation of football development in the country.

Nyirenda said it is difficult to facilitate the growth of football from the grassroots in provinces with little resources.

Nyirenda also noted the need for affiliation fees from clubs from provinces to be channeled to FAZ provincial centres which can use the resources to benefit the provinces where the clubs are located.

He said FAZ Eastern Province was holding talks with the business sector in the region to work with the association to develop football.

Nyirenda urged the corporate world to partner with the association to realise the dream of developing football in the country

Nyirenda said provinces require a lot of resources to nurture talented players who can contribute massively at various national team levels.

Meanwhile, Nyirenda is confident that Saturday’s meeting will come up with solutions to improve the national team to qualify for the 2023 Africa Cup.

Nyirenda also noted the need to get rid of a “certain cartel” that influences the selection of players to represent the country in various national teams.

He said players should be called for national team duty based on their performance and not because of balancing the regions that contribute players at national team level.

“It shouldn’t be a problem for a province to produce three or four players. Players should be called at the national team based on how good they are,” Nyirenda said.

As the domestic soccer season comes to a close on Sunday with the finals league matches, over 80 delegates will meet at Government Complex for the association’s annual meeting.