The book Godfrey ‘Ucar’ Chitalu is on sale at Bookworld, Planet Books and Grey Matter at a price of K150. Calls can also be made to 0966767334 to order a copy.
The book is also available on the publisher’s website www.troubador.co.uk and Amazon in both paperback and ebook formats.
Godfrey “Ucar” Chitalu was Zambia’s greatest footballer. He scored more than 100 goals in a calendar year, and was also among the greatest African players according to a list released by the Confederation of African Football in 2006.
Read below about the book.
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Chitalu traces the life story of the football player, from his early life to his exploits in the Zambian league for Kitwe United and the Kabwe Warriors, as well as his brushes with football authorities. His national team career is examined in detail, highlighting the key games he played alongside match reports and a list of the goals he scored. The 107 goals that Chitalu scored in 1972 are documented in great detail.
The book also looks at Chitalu’s life outside football, his playing and coaching career and gives an insight into how football was shaped over the years in Zambia. The Gabon air disaster of 1993, which claimed the lives of thirty Zambian players, coaches, officials and crew, including Chitalu, is also re-visited.
Author Jerry Muchimba shares his own inspirations behind his decision to embark on research into Zambian football, the same research that would go on to play a cardinal role when his country challenged Lionel Messi’s claim to the most goals scored in a calendar year. The goal record challenge is shared in great detail, culminating in FIFA’s ruling on the topic of who holds the record for scoring most goals in a calendar year. This effectively denied Chitalu his place in football history…
Godfrey “Ucar” Chitalu is the first ever biography of a Zambian footballer, and will appeal to any fans of the sport and its history.
Born in Ndola, Zambia, JERRY MUCHIMBA is a graduate of the University of Zambia and the University of Leicester. A keen soccer follower, he has also written football related articles for various Zambian websites and magazines. Jerry currently lives in Lusaka, Zambia, with his wife and two children.
PUBLISHED JUNE 2015
£9.99
ISBN 9781784622206
Distributor: ́
Orca Book Services. Tel: 01235 465521. Email: [email protected]
BIC subject category : BGS Biography: sport
Who is distributing the book?
Bla Bla Bla Bla Bla Bla Bla Bla Bla Bla but no trophy……….. no international award to recorgnise him in the cabinate was left… in short he was trophyless…. King Kalu is the greatest footballer and Administrator of all times the only Southern African Player till date to be the African footballer of the year 1988. And the one and only FAZ preident to Lift the Africa Cup of Nation. Chairman of CAF Southern Zone… the list is endless…. This is great achievement…
You’re clearly clueless about zambian football. You’re an absolute joke in dire need of medical help.
@Paddy, I was busy looking for the like button so that i could like your comment but none at all. lol
Even medical help could not get what ever is wrong in this chaps head correct.
What an insult to the entire Zambian football fraternity, family and Chitalu family to post a comment of such a level of idiocy.
But you still havent mentioned the troophies yet?
So go ahead and give us the clue on the trophy kaili….
He played at a time that the current trend of football commercialisation did not exist. Trophies do not define the quality of a player. Tressor Mputu was for a long time arguably one of the finest African midfielders but a person like you wont recognise this because he did not play in Europe and win African footballer of the year. That’s like saying Thiery Henry was not so great because he never won world footballer of the year…..I hope you see the angle im coming from. If the category of African footballer of the year based in Africa was available at the time he certainly would have won it after scoring over 100 goals. Be a bit more open minded and not so narrow minded to rate a player purely on trophies.
Just accept that Likando has a point,what yardstick is used to measure success in football? 107 goals against primary school teachers or being recognized best in Africa against other professional with trophies to show for it?
Buchdogg Thank you my nrother these guys claim to understand football yet they are completely clueless, These guys played madala’s football localy and secondary school football, then football was played to pass time. But still even then we where having the trophy of African footballers of the year and yet he was still trophless…. Common guys football is about archievement.
A much more meaningful way of praising Ucar is to conclude his description with the phrase “GREATEST OF HIS GENERATION OR GREATEST OF HIS TIME” noti “GREATEST OF ALL TIME” mmmmmm bufi, Pele, Maradona, Ian Rush, Sir Bobby Charlton, Sir Alex Ferguson, Micheal Platini, Patrick Klivert, Stoichkov, Jose Mourinho, etc…….all among soccer greats including Messi himself will not take us serious.
Let’s put him all over Zambia’s points of football records and ask Kalu to recognise this great player within Zambia as the truth goes which is on sale as proof.We need to put him high & high that he is above Lionel Messi according to our records so in Zambia he is highest scoring hero & that he scored more than 100 goals in a calendar year.
If we stand by this then will show solidarity in our fallen heroes and they will appreciate our support.Viva Ucar Chitalu Viva!!!!.
Those who doubts(ucar) him didn’t see him playing, ask Kālu will tell you. He inspired Kālu. At his time football was not commercialized, it was only a hobby,a sport without money.Ask Jack chamangwana of Malawi he is still alive in Malawi. Ask former former harambe stars of Tanzania, Kenyans(1970-1983),At Olympics in Europe(1981-1982).uncompromised deadly striker Zambia have ever produced.
Kalu was asked by Liwewe about who he thought defined Zambian soccer. He was full of superlatives for Ucar and he point”Sir” Samuel Zoom Ndhlovu second. Skill wise Kalu nostalgically recalled ALex “Computer” Chola.
I forgive those that never watched Ucar and for them to state that he played against Secondary School teachers (they are actually spot as at that time we had very good structures with school boys actually featuring for the National Team). After we beat Nigeria in the 70s, they actually came back to study our structures which they later put to good use). Going by the same argument being advanced here, let’s not insult our West African pals when they bring down our 2012 triumph since we’ve also never been to the World Cup!
For the records, you cant compare the quality of defenders Ucar faced those days (Dick Chama only player in the Afcon 74 best 11, Dickson Makwaza, Kaiser Kalambo, Ackim Musenge, Nkole brothers, Kampela Katumba, Jack Simbule, Edwin Mbaso, Edward Musonda etc) with what we see today and I’m not exaggerating. Liwewe actually produced a record LP (Long Play) playing at 33 rpm and it would start like this “No player, no player has had such an impact on Zambian football like Godfrey “Ucar” Chitalu. Infact at one time it was said that it would take an export licence to take him out of the country because he is regarded as National Property. Two matches stand out for me the 1977 one versus Uganda with the Dreaded Cranes featuring the deadly Polly leading 1-0 from the first leg. With game tied at 2-2 and KK11 staring elimination, Ucar came on to score 2 goals yet to be matched for a 4-2 win at Dag. And qualifying to the 1978 Afcon, Algeria had beaten us 2-0 in Algiers, and in the return game with a swift Algrian keeper Harb putting stops to our attacks and all hope lost, Ucar took things personal at Independence Stadium to score 2 goals going to penalties and thank God our kepper John Kaunda (now a FAZ employee) outwitted the Great Harb by saving a vital spot kick. At Afcon 78 with a half fit Ucar, Ghana the hosts in the opening match were made to sweat with Zambia taking a halftime lead through Obby Kapita. Ucar came out injured and we struggled. At the 1980 Olympics Ucar scored another great goal in our 1-3 loss to the hosts Russia.
That said Great Kalu also without a majot trophy for Zambia is an Asset for the country as a player and i really look forward to his Autobiography. In Liwewe’s book he had this to say about Great Kalu (picture ninshi ball wizard napompa namatobo) “When you see this boy, you’re seeing the future of Zambian Soccer” and oh boy wasnt he spot on..
One of the greatest players of his generation. A legend deserving the accolade.
Zamfoot more past bola
Zambia national soccer team all time goalscorer with 76 goals.
Well done to the author Jerry Muchimba. This is what we need in Zambia to recognise our national hero’s beyond just talking. Documents last forever and this book will be read by many generations after us and they will understand the man. Sad that some people like the self exposed clown Likando chose to only see things as far as their nose.
No Likando Just shut up because you started following Zambian football. You should ask those of us who had the priviledge of watching the man Ucar. I was doing my grade 2 but already an ardent follower of Zambian football when Ucar scored 107 goals.
Meant to say you only started following Zambian football in the late 80’s.
Let him also do one for king Kalu while he’s still alive.
With or without FIFA’s reconition he was a greatest player and will remain so even for generations to come. Am sure he would have made an equally great coach if he were still alive. I feel the government should award his contribution to football posthumaslly with a medal.
Long live the name of our greatest player and good coach. Local coaches should borrow a leaf from the history and footballing tactics of one of the most talented sons of this nation and the world at large.
This Likando lad is just a disgrace,or a Kalu clown slash bag boy.
Kopala-KK honoured him with the Order of Distinguished Service, and by the way he was honoured in France for this feat.
Even the great Ndaye who scored all 4 goals against Zambia KK11 at Afcon 1974 regarded Ucar as one of the greatest strikers he ever saw. Such was the great indepth of our teams them as even as great as Ucar was, he wasn’t dispensable as Bernard Chanda (most complete striker ever for me-good at heading especially diving headers, good speed, good shot, good dribbler and good at assists) and Simon Kaudi Kaushi being ahead, and Obby Kapita and Burton “Zamcab” Mugala (a successful businessman in Kasama who owns Chiti International School and a Lodge) being there. Even Nelson Sapi heading the Boxing Body and owner of Don Gordon was a peripheral squad player who played for Rokhana (Nkana now)
This is a great endeavour and I will be looking to purchase a copy. Great respect for a legend of the game. By the way, George Best, Alan Shearer, Zico, Socrates, Ryan Giggs, all great players who are legends, but have no international accolades. As far as I’m concerned, this man died bearing the Zambian flag. Whether he scored 107 goals or 3 in a lifetime, he is deserving of our respect. I will purchase a copy for my dad, who’s Ucar stories I will always cherish. We need more books like this, highlighting guys like Freddie Mwila, Zoom Ndjobvu, Alex Chola, even Kalu and Charly Cool.
Well done Jerry Muchimba. haven’t got the book but a positive move to highlight a sporting hero… its part of our history like it or not..too often the negatives are the narrative… its high time more and more of these biographies were published.