By KK11
The mentality of Zambians, to support mediocrity just because it’s “Zambian”.
It does not matter if someone is mediocre or not good, we must rally behind them and support them just because they are “our own”. Kalu is not a great or good administrator but people are still rallying behind him EVEN when it’s clear he has vast shortcomings. Janza was exposed at the highest level this past African cup yet, we still stand here and clamor for him to continue on while our football is in a downward tailspin.
Who suffers in the end, the people do, the players do, the fans do! In other countries, the people in charge and the serious fans are quick to instigate or bring about change regardless of whether an individual is indigenous or not, because at the end of the day WINNING is the goal! As it stands no local coach is capable of winning the African Cup of Nations. Not because they are hopeless, but because they lack that technical knowhow, that ability to bring the best out of an average player, the ability to identify talent, the skill to put ego aside and pick players on merit and the balls to stand on their own and not be another puppet for FAZ. That’s why Renard was good for Zambia, he had most of these intangibles.
I agree that we need to urgently identify a few locals and attach them to some European teams for a season or two, so they can swim in the waters of professional football coaching at the highest levels and then bring them back to coach at the Junior levels U17/20 then proceed to the national team. It’s not only our players who require that “Professional” experience but our coaches as well.
So people can go on and on debating this issue on this site and pretend that they are solving the problem by wrapping themselves in the Zambian flag and holding that mediocre attitude even tighter…….YOU ARE DECEIVING YOURSELVES. Look at those you have entrusted with leadership at all levels. Are they the best Zambia has to offer? Are they the best reflection of you and your beliefs…….? Are they taking our football forward….? Will they take Zambia to the World Cup? It’s not about African cup anymore, we have conquered that mountain already. When the rigours of qualifying for the world cup cup come up again, do you see Kalusha and Janza navigating the perils of this treacherous route given the history they have imposed on us???? It takes more than just kicking a football to qualify for this tournament, BUT planning – travel, camping, team selection, coaching analysis etc. Not the nonsense of traveling in Batches a day or two before a game and expect miracles.
Have a technical bench who is able to have game tape of the Opponent, not giving the usual ” I don’t know much about the other team, but we will perform” when we have the Internet that is a vast arena filled with information. When we play a friendly against Rwanda, who gains more us or them? Yet we play these games just to fulfill schedules. What happened to all those high level friendlies Kalusha promised…….? Yet we still clamour for the “great Kalu”, he is still one of the best if not the best (at least the best Zambian player of my lifetime) but that does not mean he is untouchable. Accomplishments on the pitch OUTSTANDING, BUT He is simply not a good administrator and has shown the tendency for dictatorship.
What about the women’s team that was disbanded because the players rightly asked for their dues….?? Aren’t they worthy of praises and compensation for making history and representing the country magnificently and with dignity? Yet we discard them to the roadside for complaining (rightly) about not getting their due. Then we hastily assemble a shell of a team with different girls to compete and they get smashed, by a team that we had already beaten not too long ago. Now is that not stupidity at its highest?? Yet Kalusha and co are not taken to task about this and we carry on. And the girls are expendable…..???
Kalusha is using his perch atop the Zambian football ladder to further his own ambitions (whatever they maybe) at the expense of millions of Zambians who hold the game dear to their hearts. I will continue to say this, we have some of the most talented and skilled players on this continent top 4…..SKILL WISE. But we fail to harness this talent into something special, and for that we need men and women in charge of football who are capable of pushing these young men and women playing this beautifully game to the next level. But it seems we will continue to go back to the drawing board we love so much and pretending the problem is not us but someone else’s doing…..