CHIPOLOPOLO assistant coach Davies Phiri has been appointed goalkeeper trainer at South Africa’s relegation-threatened Absa Premiership outfit AmaZulu.
Phiri, who had a stint with Premiership side Golden Arrows, takes over from long-serving Graham Johnson, who has been in charge since 2007.
According to club website, the 38-year-old said he was excited to have joined AmaZulu and was confident he would bring valuable experience to the bottom-placed side.
“I am feeling good. In life what I always like to say is, you always have to face a new challenge. I have been working in this area for more than six years now,” Phiri said.
The former Chipolopolo goalkeeper recently attended a six-month goalkeeper coaching course in Germany.
“I’ve also played for Zambia for 10 years and I like to impart knowledge and I’m lucky enough to have trained in Europe. In this game you always have to discover new things that you may not have known while playing,” he said.
He has linked up with Zambia striker Bornwell Mwape, who joined the Durban-based outfit during the summer transfer window from Super Division side Nchanga Rangers.
Phiri also coached at First National Division side Thanda Royal Zulu and Nathi Lions.
I would like to air my concerns on the technical bench. I agree with most bloggers on this site. Janza is out of his death and may be exposed at afcon. I felt he was good enough to qualify but at afcon it will.be different. I certainly hope the Dutch man lobahm will be there to provide more technical assistance because Janza can’t go at it alone. As for the pathetic comments coming from clueless saints fans on mane and Mayuka it is very obvious and clear that they are ignorant. Most of them just play Fifa and have no idea how far mane and Mayuka have come in soccer. I hear they are now crying for osvaldo who was a total failure even after playing 90 minute EPL games. Clearly they are clueless.
The one thing I would like to remind some of the ignorant saints fans is stats don’t lie. The last time Mayuka played a full 90 minute competitive game for your club he scored a goal. I do not think all of them are ignorant I feel it’s just a few lunatics who judge players on 9 minutes of game time. Mayuka and mane are highly talented individuals and can easily ditch the saints for better teams abroad. The saints shouldn’t accept they are not top 6 quality and should blame their defeats to giants arsenal and city on innocent players like mane and Mayuka.
What does this mean for Davies’ role in the national team? Is he no longer the goal keeper coach for Zambia?
I’m not the pessimistic type I’m one of those that proclaim victories regardless of the size. It is a good thing Mayuka is finally getting game time under Koeman. This is a very good sign that the coach is seeing something in the lad’s abilities.
Yes the argument that he is only playing because the saints have no depth in their team is valid but still he is slowly building game time and if the young lad can look at this as an opportunity and pull up his socks he will eventually win over the fans, his coach and his team mates.
Mayuka is good but truth be told he certainly does not bring the quality guys like Pelle are bringing to the team at the moment so until he pulls up his socks he will continue to play second in line to Pelle and Long. He may be as good as them but his game at the moment lacks a lot. Mayuka should look at it this way, the December period is jam packed with games. Koeman does not have depth so to preserve his big name players and try and hold onto keeping the team within the top four he will for this period use more and more of the second in line players purely for preservation of guys like Long and Pelle. He is at a time when he can’t afford an injury otherwise he will fall to mid table. Mayuka should grab the opportunity with both hands, put in a couple of assists and get a couple of goals. His time is now otherwise if he can’t crack it even during this period they will certainly off-load him in January. Objectively thinking if I was Koeman I probably would do the same especially with him going to AFCON for a month in mid-January.
My opinion is that the Zambian technical bench should be beefed up prior to departure for afcon 2015. Maybe a coach like George Lwandamina should be roped in and another goalkeeping coach. Seeing that Davies Phiri is leaving for Amazulu in South Africa.
In addition, the squad needs to be beefed up with performing players like Jacob Mulenga, Kondwani Mtonga to strengthen the midfield. I believe that the Zambian midfield is very weak now. Nathan Sinkala is struggling alone in the midfield. The right back also needs to be sorted out where Donashano is struggling. This afcon will be one of the toughest in history as most the teams have improved tremendously. Those teams like Congo, Gabon, CV, etc that used to be small teams are big teams now. FAZ also needs to come up with quality friendlies with teams like Algeria, South Africa, Cameroon, etc. Otherwise it won’t be easy.
The saints fans are absolutely pathetic in their commenting. Comparing amateurs in their youth team like mcqueen to international stars like mane and Mayuka. For your information mane and Mayuka are both playing at the cup of nations in January. A top performance from either of them will see their market values soar and they could easily ditch your club. Mayuka is an international who has played against world class teams like Brazil and won the cup of nations winning the golden boot and defeating feared strikers like drogba. How dare you compare him to an amateur like Mcqueen in your youth team. You need to accept you are not top 6 instead blame pelle for failing to score against the giants when he is given 90 minutes. Don’t blame someone who plays 9 minutes it’s not his fault.
I guess its true when they say you cant get everything you wish for.
All I wish for on Zamfoot is strong analytical comments and not sentimental comments with no analytical application to them.
@ Big steve from SA, I spoke to Davis Phiri and I did ask him how he manages working with PSL club, at the same time doing national duty. He said was managing…… But I think we need another goalkeeper trainer to beefup our technical bench. People think our group is easy but little do we know that,group B could turn issues around. we need to prepare our team adequately so that we won’t have the same shabby performance like the last edition in SA.
If we are not careful, we could even find ourselves at the bottom of group B after the group matches. If you want to have a feel of Zambia vs DR Congo, how about a Nkana vs TP Mazembe, or Zesco vs TP Mazembe. Something like that. Just saying.
good bye Davies all the best in your new job
Zambia’ s group is very tough. Drc is the biggest threat. Janza needs help these teams are really hot to handle. I don’t even understand why people are excited. After being tested by Cameroon and civ the Congo will be on fire.
After watching drc massacre ivory Coast in Abijan I would be very careful with our group. In my opinion the weakest of our rivals is Tunisia. Cape Verde is a very tough team I expect them to beat Tunisia.
@ Germiston South it will be easy for him to say that at this point but when the technical bench put expectations on him at his new club he will quickly realise serving two masters is not possible. Right now its two salaries and everything looks hunky dory but Steve Barker is a very demanding coach he won’t allow a situation where the club is struggling but some of his technical bench are attending to duties elsewhere.
@ John I agree, there is too much downplaying of our opponents in our group. We should not underrate anybody. DRC and the slow but sure emergence of Cape Verde are things we should be wary about otherwise we will experience another 2013 AFCON disaster.
the only team that i don’t like is the Arabs,in my opinion they are very rough on the pitch and frustrating.As for Congo DR they are our neighbors and it wil be tough with the idea of them knowing the likes of kalaba and the tp mazembe teammates.AS for cape Verde we are have played them two times so it will be like knowing each other,s weaknesses so our group is tough.I feel like the likes of Jacob should be recalled for the sake of experience.
@john you are very right abt th saints’s mane n mayuka the fans r not fair,if you look at LVG at man utd he game all th players chances to prove themselves th likes of anderson,kagawa,welbeck,hernandez abt four to six matches and they failed themselves,the same chances shud be given to mayuka n mane
Derailing is a big issue on this site.. people cant stick to a topic or at least suggest positives.. After AFCON group announcement one would think people will talk about the weaknesses mu team such as defense and point out one or 2 local or foreign players to solve the problem.. Instead, a few people dominate by talking about 1 PLAYER! Cmon naimwe, Mayuka is being given time and that’s a start..all we can hope for is that he gets more..mind you even ku national team he had stopped performing but is slowly getting game time..let things play out..
For now; what are our weaknesses and what can we do? who can fit in where? In case you haven’t noticed Janza is a listening coach (you can insult him later if u must)…some of the objective comments and suggestions made here can go a long way in helping our motherland…
Totally agree with @ Big Steve. Analytical comments over sentimental ones. Mayuka should earn his way into Southampton starting xl. Overrating him won’t do him nor Zambia any good.
@john. I agree with you. If their usual demons of denied allowances to players, chaotic or no preparations and late salaries for coaching staff dont return to haunt them, they could cause serious problems. Their large European-based contingent seems fired up as they clearly showed in the Abidjan match you referred to…Yaya Toure completely looked lost!
@John. Just the other day you were praising saints fans for comments on Mayuka, now today they are clueless. You can’t have it both ways; which is it?
@ positive the comments made by some saints fans on mane and Mayuka are unjust. Mane and Mayuka are better than any player they have in their youth ranks. Blaming the Africans for their losses to man City and arsenal is totally unfair. Mayuka barely played 9 minutes what kind of madness is that. Some of the saints fans are intelligent and sober minded but most of them are lunatics.
@John. I am not saying that I agree with those being upset with Mayuka and Mane. Those fans are simply being emotional. I think only Saints fans expected them to compete with Manchester City and Arsenal. Truth be told, this team has finally ran into real opposition and are now being forced to face the music as far as not having the needed quality to beat the top teams.
Though, I have to point out. Mayuka needs to step his game up. Like I said on a different post. If you come on as a sub with 10 minutes to go, then play with energy. He needs to grab these small opportunities with both hands. Look Mane, he came on as a sub and had impact and he is seeing more gametime,
Mayuka is too nervous, scared and lacks confidence from what I saw on wednessday, he needs to show guts and be passionate if he’s to survive in the epl.