Opinion: First undoing ‘we threw Nyirenda to the scrapheap’

CONFIRMED, Africa Cup of the Nations qualification remains elusive for Zambia, three times on a trot.

This follows a 3-3 draw with African Champions Algeria on Thursday.

The Chipolopolo boys needed maximum points against Algeria, to have any realistic chance of qualifying for the biannual soccer fiesta.

However, that dreamland proved farfetched, confirming my pessimism before kick-off.

Thursday’s draw was just a final nail on a coffin that had been in the making since failing to beat Zimbabwe at home.

But the undoing by the current FAZ administration started way back when they sent former Chipolopolo Boys coach Wedson Nyirenda to the scrapheap, at the whims of the fans.

Wada had just taken us to the cusp of a FIFA World Cup qualification for the Russia 2018. Despite embarking the campaign on losing note to Nigeria, the gaffer gave us a silver lining by beating Algeria home and away.

Thanks to poor officiating in the final group match against Nigeria — when a legit goal by Augustine Mulenga was ruled to be offside — we were denied a trailblazing place at the FIFA World Cup.

When the tide seemed to be in Chipolopolo favor, fans began to call for Wada’s chop. The man who had just given us a silver lining was jeered instead of being cheered.

In a bid to charm social media fans, FAZ decided to change guard by creating a thinly veiled narrative about sending Nyirenda to Spain; a trip that never came to fruition.

Before that, news filtered about foreign coaches ‘ applications inundating football house for the Chipolopolo head coaching role.

“Was there a vacancy? No! So why the applications,” wrote a Columnist Stephen Phiri in the Zambia Daily Mail.

He added: “FAZ has handled the Wada issue a little differently.

“It is like the company body of directors receiving applications for the position of managing director when there is no vacancy.”

Such disdain to a man who in his 26 games of being in charge of the Chipolopolo boys won 12 matches, drew 7 times, and lost 7.

FAZ forced Wada to resign at the whims of fans. He felt unwanted.

We don’t have to look far for references of how African FAs don’t support their own: local coaches.

If only we had maintained Wada for a long-term project of qualifying to the 2021 Afcon and 2022 Qatar World Cup — he could have built a strong team to achieve the target.

The problem with the Andrew Kamanga led FAZ is that they want instant success to appease fans and Councillors and avoid backlash. Success doesn’t come overnight.

Today we blame Micho for experimenting. It is because these players have not been playing together for a long time. There is a devoid of understanding.

Every coach comes with their philosophies and strategies. As long as we keep on changing coaches for quick fixes we shall continue on a nosedive trajectory.

I read comments that we don’t have good players. The same Patson Daka, Enock Mwepu being scouted for European top clubs, today are not good players?

Talent is sufficient. What we need is a pragmatic system.

Finally, I hope FAZ will maintain Micho for a long-term project. My plea to Micho is not to resign. Stay and build on the positives we saw in the Thursday draw against Algeria.