The FAZ national player selection exercise reaches its crescendo on Wednesday when the All-Stars side takes on The Rest at Woodlands stadium in Lusaka.
Tomorrow’s match will kick-off at 15h00 and tickets are pegged at K20 all round.
The Avram Grant All-Stars squad is a composition of the regular national team players from the local crop in the league that will play Wedson Nyirenda’s The Rest squad that has been composed of players from the provincial selection involving all the 10 provinces. Nyirenda’s side has also blended in some of the best premier league (National Division One and Super League).
The selection was narrowed down to the Midlands Select (Central, Eastern, Lusaka, Southern and Western) and the Copperbelt Select (Luapula, Muchinga, North Western, Northern and Copperbelt) who faced the premier league (National Division One and Super League) select side.
Among those named in the team include Barts FC defender Choolwe Hampongo, Neelkanth FC midfielder Jackson Chisekela and FC MUZA striker Emmanuel Manda.
The All Stars team has Red Arrows and Green Buffaloes new recruits Angel Lubamba and Chipo Sondashi respectively, Mufulira Wanderers midfielder Collins Makungu and his Nkwazi counterpart Kenneth Kasanga.
Wednesday’s match is the final stage of this year’s exercise that FAZ general secretary Reuben Kamanga has indicated will be long-term and will be used to widen a pool of players eligible for selection to the national team.
The exercise is meant to be a window for providing national team selectors with possible talents from across the country.
ALL STARS
GOALKEEPERS
Charles Kalumba (Red Arrows), Victor Chabu (Nchanga Rangers),
DEFENDERS
Dominic Chanda (Power Dynamos), Kabaso Chongo, Killian Kanguluma (both Kabwe Warriors), Benedict Chepeshi, Tandi Mwape (both ZESCO United), Pride Mwansa, John Soko (both Power Dynamos),
MIDFIELDERS
Collins Makungu (Mufulira Wanderers), John Kosamu, Dominic Kanda, Peter Kalota (all ZANACO FC), Abraham Siankombo (ZESCO United), Saddam Yusuf Phiri (Red Arrows), Kelvin Mwanza, Frederick Mulambia (Power Dynamos), Kenneth Kasanga (Nkwazi FC), Charles Zulu (Nkana FC)
STRIKERS
Ricky Banda, Angel Lubamba (both Red Arrows), Andrew Phiri (FC MUZA), Chipo Sondashi (Green Buffaloes)
THE REST
GOALKEEPERS
Gwazani Banda (Mutondo Stars), Lameck Siame (ZANACO FC), Jeban Tembo (Red Arrows),
DEFENDERS
William Kamwanga (Lumwana Radiants), Chanda Chileshe (FC MUZA), Mwape Mwenya, Prosper Chiluya (both ZANACO FC), Emmanuel Chembe (Nchanga Rangers), Mweene Mumbi, Chilimba Moonga (both Green Buffaloes), Christopher Mhango (ZANACO FC), Choolwe Hampongo (Barts FC)
MIDFIELDERS
Simon Chipanama, Abel Kanyamuna (both Atletico Lusaka), Elliot Kampukesa (Nchanga Rangers), Kapembwa Sinyangwe (New Monze Swallows), Jackson Chisekela (Neelkanth FC), Francis Mubanga (Konkola Blades FC), Titus Chansa (Mutondo Stars FC), Simon Tonga (Kabwe Warriors), Golden Mashata (Green Buffaloes), Patrick Gondwe (Nkana FC)
STRIKERS
Emmanuel Manda (FC MUZA), Eliya Mandanji (Kafue Celtic), Martin Ndhlovu, Friday Samu (Green Buffaloes)
This was just a waste of resources. It’s the same players we watch in super league and national division one, so why did they decide to go round the country. FAZ should just encourage clubs to be looking for players in rural areas of the country, than poaching in Cameroon and Kenya, the players from those countries will never play for Zambia! FAZ should also encourage clubs to have youth clubs where young players can be nurtured from childhood. FAZ should also scout for players playing in Europe with Zambian parentage in order to strengthen our men’s national team! Otherwise without these strategies we are doomed as our national team will keep going downwards!