Zambia national team coach Milutin ‘Micho’ Sredojevic has defended his decision to include Justin Shonga and Augustine Mulenga in the squad to face Botswana in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier this evening.
A section of fans questioned why Micho would include Shonga and Mulenga who rarely played for their club Orlando Pirates before moving to TTM and AmaZulu respectively.
In his defense Micho said, “this has happened millions of occasion in the last 20 years since I started serving as a soldier of African football, they [the fans] have always set aside sentiment of pass and I have firmly looked at the whole truth of present.”
“Two players got a whole work to do and the whole work was to get a club and start playing. Shonga played 3 matches and Mulenga played 2 matches [for their new clubs] and they brought themselves in a competitive aspect.”
He continued, “I will remind the people you go back if am lying, that Mulenga is one of the most assisting and at some moment scoring. His problem was not about football quality, he’s problem was more of managerial, administrative, contractual and other related issues. A player who could lose his child before the match against Nigeria and still give the best for his nation, me to bury him what kind of human being am I?”
“Shonga Justin, look at matches behind, one of the most prudent goalscorer for the national team. He has scored more for the national team than for me at [Orlando] Pirates. So putting him aside is unfair to the nation called Zambia.”
Justin Shonga has only played 10 games for his club including 3 games for his new club TTM since last year October and has not scored any goal but since 2017 no player has scored more national team goals than him, he has scored 13 goals while Augustine Mulenga has been one of the most creative player for the national team.
Mucho is a joker
Why did the 2 leave a big club??? And why are they not in Europe???
That’s true Micho
Mulenga has lost his form