Chipolopolo Boys coach George Lwandamina has singled out Chris Katongo and Isaac Chansa’s experience following Zambia’s piercing of Zimbabwe.
Facing the media at Umuganda Stadium after the match, Lwandamina also said it was a good boast and start for his charges to collect maximum points.
Seated next to goalscorer Isaac Chansa in the post match interviews, Lwandamina reserved special praise for his two veterans.
“Christopher Katongo and Isaac Chansa brought the experience they have acquired throughout their careers to bear on the team and it was good for us,” the gaffer said
While back home and across the continent debate is building on whether it was right for the Football Association of Zambia, FAZ [as It wasn’t Lwandamina’s idea to have both players back in the national team] to recall and add the 2012 African Cup of Nations winners to the CHAN tournament at the expense of developing and exposing budding local players, going by the two old guards’ exploits in the ‘Battle of Zambezi’ , Lwandamina won’t mind.
With only Jack Chirwa, Stephen Kabamba and man of the match Salulani Phiri below 24, it was an experienced side that Lwandamina started with but Katongo and Chansa’s calming influence and know how showed both during and after the final whistle.
With Uganda waiting, Lwandamina also highlighted the importance of the victory over the Warriors going into Saturday’s clash against the Cranes.
“First games are always difficult because you don’t know how prepared your opponent is; and to collect the three points is a good boost. The first win is always important and it will help the morale of the team,” Lwandamina said.
Lwandamina, who doubles international duties with a full time job as Zesco United coach watched the full match of Uganda’s 2-2 draw with Mali, thus he has a clear view now going into the fixture.
Well said ba coach these guyz they hav bring some thing gud in the team & i believe we wil go far in this championship.
In Zambia we are to quick to disregard our experienced as soon as we run into a problem, it happened at Afcon13 in SA, it happened again once Evans Kangwa scored a couple of goals. Every player will not perform at some point in their career, the key is to get them back so they do those things they once did. We did not need to suffer the way we have these last 4 years!!! We have young pkayers, we have experienced players! The problem was we chopped and changed, it wasn’t just Janza calling for Chris’s head it was the fans also. We must be crazy to think you can leave a player Chris out for good when he has not retired yet.
Another case of Zambia not maximising it’s resources. Even in SA when Chris was axed from the final game which was ok, he still should have come on as sub. That is how you bring your big players back. Not leaving him out as long as they did. Every player hits stumbling blocks, be sure to give them a chance and bring them back not putting them on the scrap heap. Manage resources!
Same for Chansa who also should have been assessed sooner… We did not have a coach worthy enough to look after the game all this time.
Anyway focus on the next game using everything at our didposal.
Think what a veteran player like Chansa or Chris could have brought to the team at that last embarrassing Afcon, the difference it could have made..! And that is exactly what i was advising in the comments but Janza and Faz knew better then..
Guus Hiddink to take major selection gamble against Arsenal
The Chelsea manager was impressed by Charly Musonda in the Under-21s’ 5-0 win over QPR on Tuesday and could hand him a first-team call-up against the league leaders.
Guus Hiddink is prepared to take a massive gamble against Arsenal on Sunday and hand a first team call-up to Charly Musonda, according the Daily Mail.
The Chelsea manager watched the 19-year-old Belgian turn in a hugely impressive display for the Under-21s in a in a 5-0 win over QPR at Cobham on Tuesday.
Hiddink is sweating on the fitness of Diego Costa and Eden Hazard ahead of Sunday’s visit to the Premier League leaders, while Radamel Falcao still some way short of being ready to make his comeback
Though Chelsea are unbeaten since Hiddink returned to the club, the champions remain 14 points off a top-four place and their interim manager is reportedly considering giving youth a chance in a bid to improve his sides’ league position.
Musonda, a highly rated attacking midfielder who joined the west London club from Anderlecht nearly four years ago, revealed last month that he was ready to leave the club in search of regular first-team football but may well be prepared to stick around should Hiddink be prepared to shake things up.
It’s good that crew less blogs like John and Con men coaches like Janza can learn from that.Viva Zambia and Chipolopolo oyeee!!!
We said it, Zambia is lacking Chansa, there we go ! Ba coach please play your cards well, fi Uganda might surprise us. Chipolopolo iyeeeee!!!!!!
Coach can you have the Musonda boys assessed also. With dual citizenship its possible
Fitness levels where low for the boys, the veterans looked more energitic than the younger boys, running around more than the toddlers, I should think that conditioning for tournerments should be thorough and complete, when you look at 2012 chipolopolo, thats the better conditioning. This is where size becomes non-factor, ba coach.