In what can only be described as a retrogressive move, the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) has disbanded the Zambia national women’s team and named a new team to represent the country in the All Africa Games qualifiers.
FAZ announced a team of 30 players which only consists of six players from the history making team which sent Zambia to her maiden Women’s Africa Cup of Nations staged in Namibia last year.
The move follows a bitter dispute between the national team players and the FA in late October that saw the players refuse to go home but stayed at the FAZ Technical Centre demanding full payment of their allowances.
Newly appointed women’s national team coach Albert Kachinga said on Monday distanced himself from the team selection stating that he did not pick the team for this weekend’s game against Tanzania.
Instead of building on the 2014 achievements, Kachinga will now have to start building a new team and has already complained of inadequate camping time for the team.
Full Squad in camp:
Goalkeepers: Chiko NKHOMA (Red Arrows) Martha NGUNI (Shalom Queens), Musole P. NGAMBO (Breakthrough)
Defenders: Meya BANDA (Green Buffaloes), Macleana DAKA (Breakthough), Rose CHEELO (Sable Queens) Rachael NACHULA (Green Buffaloes), Doreen MWASEBA (Red Arrows), Delly LUMWANYA (Nkwazi), Mary WILOMBE (Red Arrows), Nyais MOGA (Moba Queens);
Midfielders: Dainess SAKALA (National Assembly), Rachael LUNGU (Bauleni United, Rachael MOONO (Queen Eagles), Barbra BANDA (Bauleni United), Mary MWAKAPILA (Bauleni United), Jane CHALWE (Zesco Ndola Girls), Osala KALEO (Red Arrows), Lwendo CHISAMU (Chiboblya Girls), Justina BANDA (OYDC), Tiza CHIBALE (Moba Queens), Miniva CHITINA (Zesco Ndola Girls), Thandiwe NKHATA (Chibolya Girls), Joana BENAI (Green Buffaloes), Felistus CHAMA (Zesco Ndola Girls);
Strikers: Happy PINTO (Zesco Ndola Girls), Grace CHANDA (Zesco Ndola Girls), Milika LIMWANYA (Breakthough), Memory PHIRI (Green Buffaloes), Hellen MUBANGA (Bauleni United
Mmmmmm bane! all players from Lusaka, 5 from Ndola and 2 from Kitwe.
Faz only want them on bed
3 major tournaments contested this year have all resulted in first round exits. It seems Kalusha and company are now all about self preservation and football has taken a backseat role. Women, Bonetti, Baumelle, the list of people owed is endless. yet we expect to achieve wonders on the pitch!
Lost what little respect I had left for FAZ. Gone!
Why cant ZAF disband itself first on moral grounds? Koswe once over stays in some one”s house thinks its the permanet residency , untouchable, family member acting like TOM and JERRY. Very sad, very shameful to the nation and we are losing grip at a fast rate.we are no longer counted as a power house in term of football.at look our league ! Although one can say its strong what about ba under 12,13,14,16 ,18 and 20 as it used to be some decades back more especially on the copperbelt.pa Nchanga we use to play competive football at watson grounds by then willy phiri was the coach pa rangers.pass by mu township in chingola all what used to be playing grounds are no longer there, ma plot meaning komboni football killed, children play around as we used to do.ask HAPPY SICHIKOLO can atest to that , for we used to play pa kalukungu play ground pa mine police near nchanga stedium, although i was young but we used to play with those guyz because their was toma small teams with in the township
zambia air force should disband?. then who will protect our skies?
Wow!!!! even the coach openly says he did not pick the team…..kikikiki no FAZ are a total joke truth be told.
This draws out the age old question on team selection, does any national team coach have full autonomy when it comes to team selection in Zambian football??
Well I think Kachinga has finally answered that question for us.
Bon Mwamelo alocha abaiche…….this is true.
FAZ better resign. Kalusha and his fellows, their time is up.
If the team selection for the under 17, 20, 23 (i am including them in advance even before we play the Green Eaglets) and the senior national team was done by the coaches and were still booted out during the preliminary rounds, what more the ladies’ team with almost half of the players imposed on the coach and the coach is issuing a disclaimer in advance? FAZ should learn to deal with the real issues and not waste time on symptoms of the real issues. The issue here is that the players who have been excluded from the team demanded for payment for the monies owed to them. There was nothing wrong here except the football mother body did not have money at that time. when your creditors ask you for their money and you don’t have it, the best you can do is to negotiate to reschedule the payment and not creating unnecessary acrimony. Next time they wont have the money again, which is very likely, are they going to blacklist/leave out more players again? where will this stop because FAZ is almost always broke.
Faz be serious with womens football pliz