Four goals to two loss at the hands of eventual league champions Zesco United on the final day of the league ensured Mighty Mufulira Wanderers would play division one football or Zone football as other people call it come 2018. For a team that fought to bravely to survive relegation the season before it seemed they never learned a thing.
The legacy the team has is too big to be fighting relegation season after season and eventually succumbing to the dreaded drop zone. In its glory days, Mighty Mufulira Wanderers produced a number of great players for both the league and the Zambia National team, The likes Charles Musonda, Kalusha Bwalya, Samuel ‘Zoom’ Ndhlovu and many others.
A team once so feared has now become just another average side in the Zambian Football circles, But how did Mighty manage to get themselves relegated?.
FAILURE TO PREPARE
Like the old adage goes ” Failing to prepare is preparing to fail”. The once Mighty, Mufulira Wanderers did not make adequate preparation coming into the just ended season because if they did it could not have taken them six weeks to record their first point.
The team spent too much time celebrating their survival than actually coming to reality with the fact that they needed to prepare to avoid the sad reality they find themselves in today. Teams lose and it’s normal but not your first five games of which one is a six-nil bashing and two are losses to division one bound City of Lusaka (4-1 at Shinde) and Real Nakonde.
Wanderers actually lost their Superleague place at the start of the season rather than in the game against Zesco United, A match they could have won and still be relegated.
LACK OF ADEQUATE REPLACEMENTS
The team lost some of their best talents before the start of the new season and they did little or nothing to replace them. Taonga Bwembya the man who was at the canter of their survival moved to join Sensational Zanaco, Talented winger Austin Banda moved to Napsa Stars with Warren Kunda moving to Green Eagles, Those are three key players who were not properly replaced.
After a poor first half of the season where they only managed to win 3 games and losing over half of the games, they went on a spending spree buying and bought 22 players midway through the season. They bought almost a whole new team and most of these players did little or nothing to help Mighty fight relegation.
FAILURE TO DEFEND A LEAD
The last three games Wanderers lost were games they had scored first but failed to hold on the lead. First against Nchanga Rangers when Aubrey Chamulwanda put them in the lead early own but failed hold and win but ended up losing.
Against Nkana it was the same story and on the final day, Guily Manziba’s man of the match performance put them in the lead after John Ching’andu had scored early on for Zesco United but they allowed three more goals to lose 4-2.
WHAT NEXT
Now that the worst has befallen the 9-time league champions it’s time they started looking at how they can quickly bounce back to the top flight. Preparing is usually a good starting point. It’s something they failed in 2017 but they can learn from it and make proper adjustments in 2018.
The last time they were relegated it took them 10 years to win promotion back to the super league but for the sake of their very passionate fans, they might want to return as early as 2019. Will they make it back to the super league any time soon? well, only time will tell.
When you mention the name Kalu don’t forget to add title African footballer of the year 1988. The only one from Southern Africa so far. By the way it’s outsiders who voted. In fact with mighty the same former legends don’t put in much. Bambi mubakonenafye, umulomo…they don’t care. Sorry ba Mighty but you bounce back after 1 season!
How the Mighty has fallen as the Bible puts it.
I think this blog does not comfort mighty supporters .The tone is so strong that it has regard for the emotional pain mighty supporters are going through. Supporters of respective clubs invest a lot in these clubs.some have emotional attachment with the club.An article like this hurts supporters. Or it causes emotional pain.I feel zam foot could have waited for the wounds of mighty supporters to heal,After that, they could have of bringing this article to the fall.Personally I appreciate the work you do.All the football updates you give us, is highly appreciated .May be just try to be considerate and mindful of might supporters pain which they have to endure. Mighty supporters are morning, because they are attached to the club.The article maybe correct, but it has come at a time loyal supporters of mufulira wanderers are in pain
If it was meant to counsel the administration of mufulira wondrous, still it has come at wrong time.We don’t counsel someone who is moarning.Its important to be sensitive to supporters emotional pain.Am nkana supporter, I feel pained to see my sister club going to division one.
@KM you’re spot on, actually it is not only about pricking the wound of Mufurila but there is something going on in the country, if I am not mistaken the cosafa unders 20 kicks off today with Zambian in the opening game. I expected zamfoot to at least update us on the proceedings so far like which team has a lived, the happening in the camp and maybe which stations will televise these games for mood raising purpose that that sorrow story of Mufurila. Come on zamfoot you can do better than this
Surely, we don’t even know what time the games are staring, when is the opening ceremony, it is like this COSAFA UNDER 20 CUP is being played in south Africa, and yet in pa cilata.
We are now tired, of visiting this site just in case you can catch something news! But it is completely BLANK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Did the article really tackle the gist of the matter? I am very convinced most of these legendary teams are not doing well today, simply because of lack of the financial muscle they had in yesteryears.
Almost everything that you mentioned becomes a subset of financial acumen.
SPORTS | FOOTBALL
The 2017 Mopani Copper Mines COSAFA Under-20 Championships gets under way as the newest batch of young hopefuls in this age-group seeks to add their name to the trophy.
Hosts Zambia, who are also African champions, will be among the heavy favourites, but they begin their campaign with a virtual new group of players as the country looks ahead to the 2019 African Youth Championships.
Zambia will take on East African guest nation Uganda in their Group A opener at the Arthur Davies Stadium in Kitwe at 5:30pm when an expectant home crowd will be on hand to cheer them on.
The home side have included highly-rated fullback Edward Chilufya of Swedish club Djurgardens in their squad as the only survivor from last year’s winning team.
“He is the only player still eligible to play in the next U20 AFCON qualifiers so he is part of this team,” Coach Mumamba Numba told reporters. “We thought that since he was in the country, and we had an injury, we needed to replace someone that is why we brought him to join his colleagues.”
Uganda are something of an unknown entity, but just as with the rise of their senior national team in recent years, they will be a difficult opponent.
Also in action on the opening day are Swaziland and Malawi, who contest the first game of the tournament in a Group A clash at the same venue at 1.30pm.
Both sides would be considered outsiders for the title, but Malawi in particular have found some joy in this competition in the past.
The first game in Group B will also be played as Mozambique tackle North African guest nation Egypt 2.30pm.
Egypt will bring technical excellence and structure, while Mozambique are known as a more flamboyant side that relies heavily on its skilful players.
Only the top team in each pool advances to the semifinals, along with the best-placed runner-up.
The semifinals will be played on December 14, with the third-place play-off and final to be staged in Ndola on December 16.
Zambia has been the most successful side in COSAFA Under-20 Championships history with 11 titles, followed by Zimbabwe (six wins), South Africa (five) and Mozambique (one).
All the COSAFA Under-20 Championships matches are live on Kwesé Free Sports.
Thanks for the update @Zambia.
Spot on @Km @, but Ba zamfoot may be the cosafa has been postponed even if at least you could have posted us the reason why it has been postponed if at all it has been. Good lucky to young Bullets we are behind you. Lelo nilelo nankwe nankwefye , iwe munyante
Any updates please, how is Zambia playing? How many chances so far? Who has settled early?
Whats happening at the ongoing cosafa tourney.
Zam foot kindly give us the update pliz.
I only know Malawi beating Swaziland 3:2
Uganda 2:Zambia 0
Not a surprise, because they are using the under 17
Is Edward chilufya a full back or a striker.