‘FEARLESS COACH NEEDED’
…Chipolopolo needs a coach who’s not afraid aggrieved wait for FIFA final verdict to be fired, says Clifford Mulenga
WINNER of the 2007 CAF Young Player of the Year, Clifford Mulenga says the Chipolopolo needs a coach who’s not afraid to be fired for believing in his methods to succeed.
Mulenga, who won the top goal scorer and the players of the year at Forest Rangers for his impressive exploits during the 2020/2021 MTN/FAZ Super League season said the colour of the coach is not important as Zambia begins the search for a new coach to replace Croatian Aljosa Asanovic.
Asanovic resigned as Chipolopolo coach nine months after he signed a four-year contract to replace Beston Chambeshi who had served on interim basis after the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) divorced Serbian gaffer Miluttin Micho Sredojevic in July last year.
Asanovic is said to have resigned because of the association’s failure to meet contractual obligations.
With the debate escalating as to who should take over from the Croatian, Mulenga, who once featured for Ajax Cape Town, Bloemfontein Celtics, SuperSport
United, University of Pretoria and Mpumalanga Black Aces in the South African Premier League said the Chipolopolo needs a unifier for a coach.
“Local coach, international coach, black coach or white coach, this isn’t important. What’s important are the plans, the vision, the target of the national team. Also importantly is the identity of the team. The best available players for the team right now,” Mulenga said.
“We need a coach who will fit the identity of the team and can bring together the different personalities, strengths and qualities of these players,” he said.
Mulenga believes the Chipolopolo top job needs someone who has the mental strength to deal with the demands of international football and can work with players within a short space of time and still bring out the best in them.
“We need a coach who’s not afraid to be fired for believing in his methods to succeed. We need a self-made coach,” Mulenga said.
The Forest Rangers striker added that finding a coach with good qualities requires patience and honesty because it is not just about winning but being consistent over a long period.