NAKAMBALA Leopards have dismissed coach Mathews Phiri following a string of poor results.
Phiri is the second Super Division coach to be dismissed this year after Ahmed Suliman parted company with struggling Mufulira Wanderers last month.
Club chairman Lloyd Mwale confirmed, in Lusaka yesterday, Phiri’s dismissal and the appointment of Kaunda Simonda as acting coach.
Simonda will be assisted by Jones Kapokola.
The ‘Sweet Boys’ are second from bottom with four points.
Nakambala started the campaign with a 1-1 draw with Nkana, beat Green Buffaloes 1-0, lost 1-0 to Zesco United and went down 2-1 to City of Lusaka.
The Mazabuka outfit lost 4-1 to Zanaco and last Sunday lost 1-0 to leaders Lumwana Radiants.
“We held an executive committee meeting yesterday [Monday] where we agreed that we part company with our coach [Phiri]. Effective today [yesterday], he [Phiri] will not be part of the team,” Mwale said.
He wondered why Nakambala were failing to perform, yet they have assembled a good team.
“We have very good crop of players and we do not understand why we are failing to win games. Some of the games that we have lost, we could have picked something or managed to win them,” Mwale said.
He, however, said Phiri will remain an employee of Zambia Sugar Plc.
“We have not fired Mathews Phiri because he is an employee of Zambia Sugar Plc, our sponsors. We have just terminated his contract as Nakambala Leopards coach. We have told him to stay away from the team,” Mwale said.
Phiri joined Nakambala last year on a two-year deal.
But when contacted, Phiri said: “That is news to me. They have not told me. How do they rush to the press without telling me?”
Phiri replaced Humphrey Malikoni.
By Zambia Daily Mail
Don’t worry Mathews Phiri, just go to Kabwe Warriors.