The Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) has reacted to reports that the Zambia national team currently does not have an official deal to dress the national team after the expiry of the Nike deal last year.
Confirmed reports indicate that the Nike deal ended in August last year with Nike stating that the Chipolopolo are currently using kit and equipment supplied over a year ago.
Eric Mwanza said concerning the national team kit and equipment –
“We are at an end with Nike. It’s been a wonderful journey with Nike European operations (Netherlands); from 2004! A decade of a partnership that will remain a beautiful part of our football history. The new technical sponsor and kit suppliers of the Chipolopolo and all national teams will be engaged on our terms.”
“Our options are sitting pretty. It could be Nike again, Adidas, Puma, Under Armour, Warrior, Kappa. Chipolopolo is a big team, an African giant, an AFCON winner and that is why even when a couple of players pick personal small bags we notice.”
“We have come such a long way – from buying Zambia kit on the market to wearing yellow, white, red, light green, brown which we branded copper to even traveling in KNVB track suits,” Mwanza said.
National team players were spotted carrying non Nike bags when the national team departed for Angola.
Rainford Kalaba, Collins Mbesuma as well as Aaron Katebe and Patson Daka have all been seen wearing questionable attire on national duty during this year.
No sensible sponsor would want to be associated with this team right now. Sponsors are in there for business while we are in there for fun.
Nike terminated the contract last year in August. It did not come an end as claimed by Mwanza. If the contract with Nike came to an end let them prove. Let them also tell us how they used K1 000 000 given in 2012 after winning AFCON?
Which big teams are these f00ls referring to. They have destroyed our national team because of greed. Patson daka surely starting a big fixture against guniea bissau. Playing useless full back chipeshi and the other quack. And a coach who keeps favoring his zesco players to the point of making Jacob banda number one ahead of Munyao. We are tired of these f00ls we want a sensible coach and administration that will bring back Rodgers kola, fwayo tembo, Mayuka, kabaso chongo, mbola, Jacob mulenga and other serious professionals we are tired of experimentation and marketing at the expense of tax payers money.
Lwandimina is a big quack!
pa z paleba corruption
I will continue insulting the FA and the coach until the right thing is done and the right players are called into camp. Tax payers cannot lose their money at the expense of greedy officials trying to market players.
@ john,
What do you think has been destroyed in zed football? Not too long aga before Nike came , we were branded to be the waste dressed team at afcon, dont forget that we used to wash ma jezy .
AGONY is not havin any1 to sponsor yo kit and yet u claim u r a giant of african football.
Ba Mwanza..,.kutikeni
@John,we agree with what you are saying but Rodger Kola is a wasteful striker,Kaboso Chongo and Nkausu are not active at their clubs and Emmanuel Mbola lost form along time ago.If you watched the game against Congo DR and Tunisia at Afcon and Japan surely mbola was blame.The team is okey, the only thing which is missing is creativity especially when chisamba lungu and Mbesuma are not there,a box to box midfielder.Nathan can not command the midfield, he is a “chintaluke” type of a midfielder he doesn’t cure even if you are marked,he releases the carelessly that is why we are missing Isaac chansa.M’kandawire and his friend,the coach gets it wrong these are not nationl team players.The best they could have done is bring to Fackson Kapumbu, Lawrence Chungu as wing backs.In midfield pair Nathan with anyone strong on the ball Mtonga or Sauti.Up front, we are better except Festus Mbewe.Overall, we are not bad, but we need one experience of chris Katongo to inspire a team to hostile away countries not only that, he is doing fine Buffaloes.
I am shocked that you’re mentioning Chris Katongo. Please let him enjoy his retirement. Katong futi?
Let us go back to addidas.Their designs are good.
African giant without kit sponsors since last year. Giant indeed.
A serious kit sponsor cannot associate itself with perpetual losers!
and supersport has started advertising the Zambia vs Sudan game..what an embaranced it will be.
Eric Mwanza chipuba sana. Who is he trying to f00l here? Too much corruption in FAZ and none of the kit sponsors would want to be associated with corrupt and thieves like these FAZ rubbish. From useless coach, to useless players, etc. We need a complete overhaul at FAZ.
Let’s be careful with our comments. Accussing people of corruption without substantiating the allegation can amount to lawsuits. Let’s njust comment football and our displeasure of the performance.
What lawsuit naimwe mwila tutinya kwati tatwaishiba law? They are corrupt! Simple. The question if FAZ is not corrupt let them tell us with books of accounts concerning Kalu’s continue stay in South Africa. Its written on walls!
Giant my neck,we are just now reduced to wiping boys and who in their right set of mind wound associate with a useless team like ours.
Go for Adidas you fools and bring back the copper and black strip,no Green Buffaloes gonga type this time.
Some of the players you ask faz to recall to the team are not even regulars in their clubs, some don’t even make their club’s league match bench. Mayuka is battling with injury and not fit.
What about Nsabata here in our local league ? Come on lets be realistic !
better we go for puma with the colours of our Jersey they can make a good design.
Let’s wait and see how Zambia will play against Sudan. We need to be on our best
@Paddy indeed no sponsor would want to be associated with a team that is not performing.
It will take a lot behind the scenes moves to get a serious sponsor on board.
On another note Congrats to TP Mazembe for being crowned the best club team on the African continent. 4-1 on aggregate against US Alger. CAF Champion League Champs!
First of all this news is no surprise to me because no sensible kit manufacturer would allow it’s logo on that sorry excuse of a Zawa we call a jersey. Second, if we have no problem in securing a kit sponsor why has it not happened yet and why was the nation kept in the dark about the expiration of the contract. It should not have to take a whistle blower leaking information for people to do the right thing. Someone was shopping around for a kit sponsor who would be willing to line their pockets before signing any deal is whats going on, in my opinion. Corruption is bad gentlemen and if the fa;ll of the once mighty men of FIFA is not enough of a warning, I don’t know what is
Some pipo are saying chongo is not playing at his club and mbola has lost fitness long time ago,no that’s wrong.these two players can’t be compared to these two baby boyz chepeshi and mukandawire.mbola this time is playing 90 minutes at his club.for me i don’t want these boyz chepeshi and his friend near national team and i would rather go for nkausa and muzo if given the authority.sudan is celebrating already.i have played comboni football which am still active in upto now and i know what makes a good defender cos am a defender but am not a national team material.janza is better than lwandamina.chicken you have failed us and u have just proved that u are indeed a chicken.
What in the blazes!!?? So this contract has been done for a year and these people at FAZ have been doing what exactly? Can we just admit that if you can read and write, you’re pretty much more than qualified to run FAZ. This amateur hour has to stop
Let this useless Nike Go! They are not creative. Our National Flag has very rich colour and yet we get mediocre designs.
I hope we can get a deal with PUMA or KAPPA.
And no corruption of getting fake brands from South African franchise companies. this is why we have never been well dressed. Just compare our jessey with that of North Africans or Western African. We are far in terms of quality because of Corruption by FAZ.
I suspect, the delay is not because lack of interest by sponsors but delays are due to negotiations for a corrupt deal and the country to suffer the consequences.
Lets be patriotic by dressing our country well not the way you dress your children (Kamwala material) Go for PUMA Puma, Puma, Puma
where is de team are we stil in Angola? we dont like poor travelling isures.
lets go for Addidas like Nigerians they luks smart.
Abram, Nigeria is now dressed by Nike. their jersey looks more like our winning jersey now Nike lucks creativity .
Hahahaha Chipolopolo is run by jokers
I think the selection are gud for chicken has made it