Asanovic quits Chipolopolo top job

Chipolopolo Boys head coach Aljosa Asanovic has quit his position according to reports in his native country, Croatia. 

Asanovic and the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) have been involved in a back and forth in the last few days and Sportske reports that the Crot has finally called it quits. 

Asanovic through his lawyer Davor Radić confirmed that he has parted ways with the Football Association of Zambia for non-payment of his salary. 

HERE IS THE STORY FROM SPORTSKE:

The first question is defining the status, has coach Aljoša Asanović terminated his contract or is he still the coach of Zambia?

– I must emphasize that coach Aljoša Asanović is no longer the coach of the Zambian national football team, as of September 22, 2022. year because the coach unilaterally terminated the contract due to the violation of contractual obligations by the Football Association of Zambia. When I say violations, I mean primarily the failure to fulfill financial obligations towards coach Aljoša Asanović.

How did the dispute between Zambia and their former coach Asanović come to be?

The dispute arose because the Football Association of Zambia did not pay coach Aljoša Asanović his monthly salaries for May, June and July 2022. For this reason, Asanović addressed them in a letter at the beginning of August 2022, offering them a deadline of 15 days to pay the owed amount. However, the NS of Zambia, instead of paying him all the amounts owed, paid him only a small part of the debt, stressing that in the meantime payments for August 2022 were also due. I would like to point out that with the latest amendments to the FIFA Rulebook on the Status and Transfers of Players, coaches have been standardized in that rulebook, and their status is now equal to that of players. This actually means that FIFA has stipulated in its rules that non-payment of two salaries to the coach by the association or club constitutes a justified reason for the coach to unilaterally terminate the contract. Aside from,

Was Aljoša Asanović satisfied in Zambia, that is, did he fulfill the objectives of the Alliance?

– My client Aljoša Asanović as well as four members of his staff ( Tonči Gabrić, Karol Praženica, Hrvoje Matijević and Stefan Carević ) were very satisfied with their work in Zambia, because the results exceeded the expectations and goals of the Football Association of Zambia. I hereby point out that coach Aljoša Asanović is sorry that he had to terminate his contract, primarily because of the people of Zambia who love football, but also because of the Minister of Sports of the Government of Zambia, with whom Aljoša Asanović had a particularly good relationship. However, individuals in the Football Association of Zambia led by Secretary General Adrian Kashalathey did everything to get this termination of the contract and for Aljoša Asanović to no longer be the coach of the Zambian football team, because at the moment when the coach called them to pay his debts, they started inventing various stories that have nothing to do with the truth, such as that Aljoša Asanović did not come to work.

What is the further outcome?

– The outcome is very simple. Coach Aljoša Asanović can freely sign a contract with any football club or football association as a coach or coach. As far as the Football Association of Zambia is concerned, Aljoša Asanović will sue them before FIFA for the payment of the amounts due until the day of termination, as well as for the payment of damages due to the termination of the contract in the amount of the remaining value of that contract – explained Assanović’s lawyer Radić.

Meanwhile the Football Association of Zambia in their statement on 20th September said the Croatian gaffer was away without official leave (AWOL). 

FAZ General Secretary Adrian Kashala said Asanovic had not yet reported for duty since Zambia’s 1-0 home loss to Mozambique on July 30.

“The team is without head coach Aljosa Asanovic who has been away from duty for over one month and efforts to get him back so far have been unsuccessful. With the Chipolopolo having many engagements and the league fully active, our expectation was that the head coach would be on station to preside over these engagements,” Kashala said.

“FAZ will deal with the matter internally and dully keep the public informed in due course,” he added.

The Chipolopolo Boys are currently in Mali where they succumbed to a 1-0 loss at the hands of the Eagles and will play another match tomorrow. 

Former Nchanga Rangers defender Moses Sichone is currently in charge of the team with the help of goalkeeper coach Stephen Mwansa.