KALABA NAMED IN THE CAF TEAM OF THE YEAR ALONGSIDE MAHREZ, MANE
Chipolopolo Boys skipper Rainford Kalaba has been named in the CAF team of the year..
There are five African based players in the team all coming from East, Central and Southern Africa.
Ugandan and Sundowns goalkeeper Dennis Onyango is joined by his Sundowns teammates Keagan Dolly and Khama Billiat of South Africa and Zimbabwe respectively.
Congolese clubs have two representations; AS Vita’s left back Joyce Lomalisa and arguably the best player on continent in Kalaba of TP Mazembe.
From the European contingent, West Africans dominate with Ivorian duo Eric Bailly and Serge Aurier of Manchester United and PSG respectively in defence.
Tunisian centre back Aymen Abdennour partners Bailly in defence while Emmanuel Mayuka’s former Southampton teammate Saido Mane is joined in attack by Riyad Mahrez of Algeria & Leicester City and Gabonese striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
Unbalanced team – No central midfielders
With the Euro based trio in attack it means that Kalaba, Billiat and Dolly are the central midfielders.
Billiat and Dolly formed a CBD attack with Castro as Sundowns’ attacking trio while Kalaba has spent the last four years on the left flank for both club and national team.
The CAF technical team has gone to name 5 wingers in the team without proper midfielders.
Where are, John Mikel Obi (Nigeria, Kouyate (Senegal), Bentaleb (Algeria) and Ndong (Gabon)?
Obi might not be getting game time for Chelsea but the veteran led Nigeria to bronze at the Olympics in Rio in August 2016. What about his performances against Zambia and Algeria.
Kouyate has been the log in the engine room for West Ham while Nabil Bentalab has continued his development in Germany since leaving Spurs.
CAF Team of the Year
Denis Onyango (Uganda & Mamelodi Sundowns)
Serge Aurier (Ivory Coast & Paris Saint-Germain)
Aymen Abdennour Tunisia & Valencia)
Eric Bailly (Ivory Coast & Manchester United)
Joyce Lomalisa (DR Congo and AS Vita)
Khama Billiat (Zimbabwe & Mamelodi Sundowns)
Rainford Kalaba (Zambia & TP Mazembe)
Keagan Dolly (South Africa & Mamelodi Sundowns)
Riyad Mahrez (Algeria & Leicester City)
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Gabon & Borussia Dortmund)
Sadio Mane (Senegal & Liverpool) n
With that body of his Kalaba can play for many more years to come. In that time he can do a little improving to his decision making. He would decide more games for Zambia if that happens and who knows we could end up in Rusia with Wada Wada. Otherwise even with that weakness, i agree he is arguably the best locally based African player. He is probably under appreciated when you consider that we are African Champions and he was on top form when it happened…i wont go into the contribution of each member of the whole group who did it to lift us the AFCON, finally. GOOD NEWS THERE.
One kalaba
Today Caf will announce the winners of African footballer of the year African based player of the year and other awards.our interest in zambia is on kalaba who is in the running for the African based player of the year let’s keep our fingers cross and hope for the best for kalaba,I think he has what it take to win this award all the best
Man of the moment.. Goodnews
Kalaba would have won african footballer of the yr of locally based payer if that fat chicken had not thrown that gn bissau match.. Khama to emerge as favourite to win the bigone and still romours waiting for zamfoot to confirm..
kalaba is the best bamu chingafye