In the last 5 years, Zambia has failed to find a replacement for Zambian legend Kennedy Mweene in goal.
Initially Jacob Banda and Danny Munyao were being earmarked as potential replacements but to avail.
There was also another gamble on Joshua Titima around 2012-2013 but it never paid off, as the former Mining Rangers and Power Dynamos is now languishing at Indeni.
Then came the experiment with Toaster Nsabata which started in 2014 but lack of concentration as he was bound to make that occasional mistake almost costed his career.
Last year, former Zambia coach Micho thought he had a long term successor to Mweene, but Lameck Siame and Charles Kalumba failed to claim the no.1 jersey.
At CHAN, Micho opted for the tried and tested, and recalled Allan Chibwe for the tournament.
Then came South African based Cyril Mwenya Chibwe.
Chibwe is yet to convince, and the project was put on hold by Beston Chambeshi thanks to Nsabata’s resurrection at PSL side Sekhukhune United.
At 28, Nsabata is seen as a stop gap.
With FAZ set to unveil Croatian coach Aljosa Asanovic this week, the search for the Chipolopolo no.1 continues.
Goalkeeper Kalumba, who is on a seasonal loan from Prison Leopards to Red Arrows has impressed while Konkola Blades’ Willard Mwanza might get a surprise call up.
Siame’s move to Zanaco seems to be one the goalkeeper is regretting as he is playing second choice to Congolese’s Charles Lawu.
There’s another option.
He has been capped once in a friendly match against Ivory Coast in 2019 in Abu Dhabi.
Charles Mutanga is a 24 year old goalkeeper who has been on the books of Nkwazi since 2015 having joined from Nchanga Rangers.
He was spotted during the Airtel Rising Star in 2013 alongside Patson Daka, Enock Mwepu and the late Changwe Kalale.
Mutanga was voted as the best goalkeeper in Nigeria during the Airtel Rising Star -Africa as Zambia came second to Niger.
He started his career at the famous Maamba’s Zamcoal Diggers together with Spencer Sautu and Nsabata.
Actually, Nsabata was an outfield player in Maamba.
When Nsabata left ZamCoal Diggers for Nchanga Rangers, Mutanga stuck around until his breakthrough came in 2013 when the late Fighton Simukonda signed him as Rabson Mucheleng’anga’s replacement who had joined Nkana.
Mutanga was re-united with Nsabata and became his understudy. He only made one appearance and 2 years later he swapped Chingola for the capital City.
Last season he kept 20 clean sheets, 8 more than the previous season.
He has already kept 10 clean sheets this season.
Will the well spoken shot stopper displace his old ZamCoal Diggers teammate and be the country’s safe pair of hands?
Asanovic should be answering that question as he names the team for March 2022 friendly matches.
