Friday, March 29, 2024

Blog: What is the criteria for national team call ups?

Zambia national team head coach Wedson Nyirenda on Thursday announced his squad for local players set to enter residential camp this sunday in preparation for next months COSAFA castle cup.

And a few names on the list are raising eyebrows which has made me pose the question, What is the criteria for national team call ups?

A look at the team called with just above a month to the tournament being prepared for you will find names of players who don’t even make it to the bench for their clubs.

It’s true that a coach will call players that can fit in his system in Nyirenda’s case ‘Philosophy’ and their is no definate rules on how he should go about it but the one basical norm is good club form and consistency hence its surprising to see players who last played competitive football last year get call ups ahead of players putting in full ninety minute shifts week in week out.

Before we go far Solomon Sakala is actually nursing an injury he sustained against National Assembly, Clatous Chota Chama is just recovered from an injury. Allan Kamwanga has been on the mend for the longest possible time and i doubt he has made any appearance this season but surprisingly he made the 30 man list.

This is not the first time Coach Wedson Nyirenda has called someone who is injured. Last time out Alex N’gonga and Godfrey Ngwenya were summoned despite being injured and so too was Patson Daka. Before then was Lewis Macha who was called twice but was found injured on both occasions.

One look at the goalkeepers you will realise Joshua Titima is missing at Allan Chibwe is in the team but who actually starts at Power Dynamos?, Titima obviously and is arguably the best goalkeeper this season. Bornwell Silengo ahead of Fackson Kapumbu?.

Maybe he is reviving the players and giving them a taste of his ‘Philosophy’ which was what he said when people questioned Mayuka’s call up early last year.

“He ( Mayuka) might not have had some game time but he is always with his team and a big team for that matter.There is no harm trying to preserve our own talent by giving them a feel of new philosophy and concept” he said in an exclusive interview with Soka25East early last year

” At one time same people condemned Mbesuma and I brought him in and has been doing his best and delivering for the country,” He added.

(Wedson justifies Mayuka call-up – http://www.soka25east.com/wedson-justifies-mayuka-call/)

Whatever his criteria is it has alot of us confused but we still wish him the best of luck and expect the team to perform at the highest level.

FULL SQUAD

(GOALKEEPERS)
Allan Chibwe (Power Dynamos), Ken Mumba (Red Arrows), Sebastian Mange (Lusaka Dynamos)

(DEFENDER)
Thandi Mwape (Kabwe Warriors), Paul Banda (Lusaka Dynamos), Martin Kaonga (Nakambala Leopards), George Chilufya, Jimmy Nakena, (Zanaco), Bournwell Silengo, Solomon Sakala (Zesco United), Isaac Shamujompa (Buildcon), Boniface Sunzu (Green Eagles), Kedson Kamanga (Nkwazi), Allan Kamwanga junior (Power Dynamos)

(MIDFIELDERS)
Mischeck Chaila (Zesco United), Jack Chirwa (Green Buffaloes), Ngosa Sunzu (Buildcon), Clatous Chama, Mwila Phiri (Lusaka Dynamos), Larry Bwalya, Benson Sakala (Power Dynamos), Charles Zulu (Zanaco)
(STRIKERS)
Martin Phiri (Zanaco), Lameck Banda (Zesco United), Youremember Banda (Green Buffaloes), Peter Nyirenda (Monze Swallows), Chanda Mushili (Buildcon), Kelvin Kampamba (Power Dynamos), Ronald Kampamba (Nkana), Emmanuel Chabula (Kitwe United)

 

Related Articles

22 Comments

  1. Why nyirenda can not change the players does it mean there are no longer good players in all the team clubs in Zambia ? Please Faz don’t watch this growing

  2. Zambia has no football philosophy presently…no identity, no style and no flair. Zambian football without passing movement, swagger and flair is not the football we have all grown up to appreciate and enjoy. Wedson Nyirenda has failed to set up a team that can play with confidence and swagger and win matches because he relies too much on players that are physically big: one dimensional football. Players who are big for nothing luck the agility and balance. I would rather pick billy mutale over george chilufya. That is why i enjoy watching power dynamos even if i support zesco. Defenders that try to play from the back and midfeilders that interchange passes during build up play. They may not win all the trophies because they don’t have all the best players in every position but at least they have tried to maintain that old and original zambian way of playing football. One would expect the national team to be more complete because it has all the players in every position.

    • @Prolific Winger you are spot on with your observation. Joshua Titima is currently first choice Allan chibwe has yet to start a match this season but somehow he finds hid way to the national team. Billy Mutale has been consistent this season I think Wada wada watches another league cause you can’t have this kind of situation we have right now

  3. This man smokes something else and not ganja. Ganja is very thoughtful, therefore one cannot attribute his selection of players to ganja.Why should a coach in his right frame of mind call a bunch of inactive players to the national team? He is wasting our hard earned tax money.He is not different from his friends in government as far as wasting tax payer’s money is concerned. FAZ must do something about this man.

  4. I’m aslo begining to wonder if if his coach really has a plan for the team. This seems like a trail and error approach to a job that requires well reasoned decisions. FAZ need to relieve the guy of his position quick because he clearly has no well thought out plan on how to develop this team.

  5. Kamanga kuwayawaya fye
    This coach amasushi fye
    This admin the worst in zed football
    Ati some people wants this admin to fail why can’t you pick good players and win matches thereby silencing your critics
    Kamanga failed at kabwe warriors
    Kamanga failed at power dynamos
    I don’t even know why people think he can succeed at national level

  6. very inconsistent coach so far according to faz mtn team/players performance he has got it wrong cosafa is a platform were he can try new and young players as nursery for the senior team.i remember in those days we had Zambia A and B plus midlands and copperbelt select teams playing against each other and it was the best criterion on selecting and discovering new talent otherwise as things stand it will be always ‘back to the drawing board’.

  7. Now i can see why people are fed up of Wada and Kamanga. The former drags in rubbish the latter heaps it at his doorsteps. They both must be discarded with no more care than when we discard a rotten apple from the barrel.

  8. FAZ why can’t you step in and help this man?
    we are going no where with Wada,
    If you have watched Joshua Titima,he is much better than Allan Chibwe,and why has he left out Kapumbu?
    I fail to understand his criteria!

    • I rather suggest he calls younger promising goalkeepers than the likes of Titima who have not made the grade before. We should be forward looking. This goes for Chilufya as well

  9. I rather suggest he calls younger promising goalkeepers than the likes of Titima who have not made the grade before. We should be forward looking. This goes for Chilufya as well. In fact the age limit for COSAFA should be 25

  10. Kamanga made a bigest mistake of signing a 3 years contract with a coach without reasonable assesment.
    it would have made sens to give wada a 1 year contract after which it would have been reviewed.
    look at our history zambia has never lost 3 game at home even in the space of 6 years.
    But with kamanga and wada 3 games lost at home within a 14 mounths

  11. Lets Not Even Get Surprised By His Selection Criteria Bcoz This Man Only Has One Game Plan. Even If We Force Him To Call Impressive Players This Season, He Will Still Stick To Those Players And Use The Same Players Throughout The Tournament. Remember What Happened To 30-30 At The 4nations Tourney. Kamanga Pliz Open Your Eyes And See WEDSON NI MBWA IYA MUCHILA.

  12. When you sit an examination room without any clue of the answers needed you will wonder what others are writing. This is the dilemma Wada is in. He no answers to the needs of Zambia football. His player selection is based on what a player might do rather than what he will do.
    Time is up for this guy and his So called technical team. A team with “has beens” like Moses Sichone!

  13. This Wada chap I was beginning to think abatumbuka bachenjela when he beat Algeria home n away but the guy he is proving me wrong
    On a lighter laughing matter “Abatumbuka ni bamalawi”

Leave a reply

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

[td_block_social_counter facebook="InsideZamFoot" twitter="zambianfootball" style="style8 td-social-boxed td-social-font-icons" tdc_css="eyJhbGwiOnsibWFyZ2luLWJvdHRvbSI6IjM4IiwiZGlzcGxheSI6IiJ9LCJwb3J0cmFpdCI6eyJtYXJnaW4tYm90dG9tIjoiMzAiLCJkaXNwbGF5IjoiIn0sInBvcnRyYWl0X21heF93aWR0aCI6MTAxOCwicG9ydHJhaXRfbWluX3dpZHRoIjo3Njh9" custom_title="Stay Connected" block_template_id="td_block_template_8" f_header_font_family="712" f_header_font_transform="uppercase" f_header_font_weight="500" f_header_font_size="17" border_color="#dd3333"]
- Advertisement -spot_imgspot_imgspot_imgspot_img

Trending

P