Minister of Youth, Sport and Arts, Honourable Elvis Nkandu believes it’s time for the Copper Queens technical bench to leave the stage.
Nkandu believes the tipping point was Zambia’s 6-5 loss to Australia at the Paris 2024 Olympics after taking a 5-2 lead.
The Minister feels the Government should have a role to play in the picking of a coach when the National Sports Council of Zambia signs the long awaited MOU with FAZ which will make them responsible for paying for the Copper Queens coach.
Nkandu was speaking during a press conference at the New Government Complex on Monday morning.
“It was a very difficult group. In Zambia we have individual brilliance, we have talent. I think what we lack is people to mould this talent. Some of you watched Brazil play Spain, All Brazil did after scoring was to pack a bus and leave one player upfront. We have that in Barbra Banda we could have done that,” He said.
“I think on that point the technical bench should be completely done away with because at the end of the day this is taxpayers money. I think we did not deserve that , that’s a game we were winning (Australia game).”
“As the National Sports Council of Zambia signs the MOU and it’s us who will be paying the coach, we should have a role to play. We just have a role to play. Let me take this opportunity to clear the air that we don’t have the power to choose or fire a coach. It’s FAZ who is incharge of that. We just look for money when they have an engagement. I think the National Sports Council of Zambia as you sign these MOUs, let’s see how best we can play a role since we also release funds,” he added.
The Copper Queens crashed out of the Paris 2024 Olympics without a win.
Zambia lost 3-0 to the USA in the first game before a heartbreaking 6-5 defeat to Australia after giving away a 5-2 lead.
In the final game, Germany inflicted a 4-1 defeat on Bruce Mwape’s ladies.
The Copper Queens will be looking to redeem themselves next at the Women’s African Cup of Nations in Morocco.
It’s wrong for the minister to come out like this against the technical bench and in the end against FAZ! He should know that even Bruce Mwape didn’t want to lose to Australia, but his job ends at telling the players what he thinks is correct for them to do! But if Martha Tembo and Lushomo Mweemba can’t clear the ball far enough from the penalty area , should he go in and start telling them to be kicking the ball far away! Should Mwape tell a defender not to cause unnecessary penalties! Secondly, the minister should not be very emotional! Bruce Mwape has achieved what no other Zambian coach has achieved! He should actually be appreciated very much, not just condemned because of one game. Zambia actually payed well, losing to USA by 3-0, who were the eventual tournament winners, and Germany who were semi finalists. Look at our infrastructure in Zambia, very hopeless! Compare to USA team preparing for the same tournament with Zambia , but in the USA they have everything,very good training infrastructure, good nutrition, all the resources, and Zambia performed so highly, without comparable resources and infrastructure! It’s amazing! So the minister should give good thought of it all and give appreciation where it is due! And as minister , he’s minister of sport and not minister of football! So let him leave some of these comments to his Permanent Secretarys to liase with FAZ, not going public like this! It’s shameful!
The Minister’s demand for the Copper Queens’ technical team to step down seems unfair, especially given Chipolopolo’s poorer showing.
I think the minister’s position is most welcome to all the meaningful Zambians,we can’t keep on ignoring this call when we were supposed to do this a long time go,we just have to thank the comrades for the services they have rendered to the nation and wish them well in their next endeavors.