It always brings excitement to have Junior National Teams qualify for high level tournaments. However, the excitement soon turns into frustrations when the team fails to perform according to expectations. With a Maiden World cup appearance at Russia 2048 in mind, it is worth noting that long term investments always bring sustainable results.
As you read this, you all know that Zambia’s next generation of football heroes are in action for the continent and hopefully the world to see as they undertake to conquer Africa in Senegal at the Africa Youth Championships. Coach Hector Chilombo and his talented players are the Centre of attention at the tournament which we haven’t managed to qualify for in the past seven years. One hopes that the current crop of under 20s will go a notch higher by not only qualifying to the Junior World Cup like their colleagues of 2007 but to also qualify for the FIFA 2018 World cup in Russia.
After the disappointment of AfCON 2015 Zambia’s greatest hope lies in the combined Under 17, Under 20 and equally the present crop of Under 23 in order to make it to Russia 2018. We cannot afford to lose ground on these junior teams’ level of development and expect to remain a force in the African game as we pursue to take the world by storm. There are many formulas to success but chief among them is the need to correctly nurture these junior teams and keep them exposed to high levels of competition. In Zambia I see an embarrassment of riches in players like Lubambo Musonda, Mangani Banda, Spencer Sautu, Mukuka Mulenga, Rodrick Kabwe to mention but a few.
Kudos to FAZ for introducing the monthly camping for the local National team but more can still be done to help the junior teams such as letting the U23 play the COSAFA senior Challenge, the U17 to play the Zone 6 and Under 20 to play COSAFA U20 with continued friendlies with nearby countries for these U20 and U17 to expose them to high intense training. We should not go into regional tourneys for the sole purpose of winning but to help develop our players.
The hope is that after Senegal 2015, most of our U20s shall get good contracts abroad and be exposed to top grade football and enhance their professional approach to the game and make these Players understand that when qualifiers for Russia 2018 start, they will not be in the National Team to Provide a service but to Bring Results.
If all these Visible Human resources are properly Managed Come 2018, Zambia Shall be Saved.
[By Franklyn Malambo]
Zambia must never ever play the senior national team in cosafa. The under 23 must feature in that tournament. I disagree with this article when the author says we have an embarrassment of riches. What riches do we have when we are bashed on a regular basis by all north African and west African countries. Players like mukuka mulenga are overhyped material. Mukuka is one of the most overhyped players I have ever seen in zambian football. The boy is hopeless and has done nothing sensible in national colours whenever he has gone up against top opposition. We have no riches because we don’t have enough top players in europe. The day we have players in clubs like PSG, atalanta, roma, Chelsea, real Madrid, barcelona, arsenal etc is the day we have the right to say we have an embarrassment of riches. As things stand we are failures. Nevertheless we must keep on qualifying to every under 17 and 20 youth competition we must never miss out. Perhaps one day we will be rewarded.
THAT IS A – **POSITIVE** -TALK , MY GOOD OLD PAL JOHN..
Zambian football has gone down. From my count we have very few serious professionals abroad. These are Sunzu, fwayo, Mayuka, chisamba and mbola. These are the only serious performing professionals we have in competitive leagues. The rest are either too old, not good enough or playing in weak leagues in Africa. We do not have an embarrassment of riches. Teams like Mali can easily bash us with their legion of foreign based stars. Mali consistently qualifies for youth competition and that is something we need to do regularly. It’s sad that a nation like Mali which we used to bash on a regular basis is threatening to overtake us.
The Chameleon has spoken
But john,I thought u said u re in your doing family meeting to resolve some family issues that u av no time for zambian football ?
But john,I thought u said u re in your village doing family meeting to resolve some family issues that u av no time for zambian football ?
Our football administrators and coaches are useless while those who are not, are corrupt. Janza wanted to build a future team using senior afcon torney by discarding Jacob Mulenga in preference for Patrick Ngoma. Surely how do we prefer a bright G7 to write G12 exams to the already tested G12 who just passed mock exams. Why do we leave out those we have already developed from the junior ranks and are performing well in better leaques tham our ZPL?
@John, if riches are not properly managed it doesnt mean You dont have them,its about management. E.g The country Zambia,how much minerals are mined and taken out of Zambia every Year?? Yet how many people live in Poverty..? If You look at the current U20 team,u see talent evrywhere but if the side is mismanaged and tactically not well drilled does it mean the team lacks talent??