In 2004, Red Arrows won its only league title under the guidance of Mathews Phiri. The club would then go on to represent the country in the CAF Champions League in 2005 though the could not go beyond the first round.
Last year, before the start of the season, the Zambia Air Force sponsored side went to Spain for their pre-season training and played a couple of friendlies. The hype was made by this outing as a lot of expectations were hanging on the shoulders of the players and the technical bench.
At the beginning of 2017, the Airmen announced the appointment of Honor Janza, who was the time serving as FAZ Technical Director. In his first season, Janza steered Arrows to a 10th place finish on the log. The team managed 12 wins the entire season, drawing 16 matches and lost 10 games. At the end of the season, the accumulated 52 points having scored 42 goals and allowing 36 goals. This did not go unnoticed as the Exco brought in new players for the 2018 season and did something they had not done in a long time, Buying foreign talent.
In reinforcing the team, the Airmen brought the likes of Ian Otieno, Derrick Mwansa from Nkwazi, Elvis Bissong, Daniel Adoko, Justin Zulu from Yanga, Carrington Gumba, Chrispin Sakulanda among others.
This did not however help change the fortunes at Nkoloma last year despite having one of the most expensive if not the most expensive pre-season outings in the recent past.
After just 25 matches, the team was struggling to catch up with the rest of the clubs in the top half of the league table, only managing a to collect 6 wins, losing 10 times. With 27 points, Arrows sent Janza on an administrative leave together with his assistants Joel Bwalya and Nchimunya Mwetwa.
Chisi Mbewe, was elevated to the head coach position on a temporal basis. Mbewe was assisted by former Zambian striker Songwe Chalwe while reserve coach Charles Kafula was elevated as Technical Advisor. The Red Arrows coach took charge of 13 league games that saw Arrows climb up the league table. The team went on to drive itself away from relegation battle moving from 13th place to finish on 9th place.
In his short stint as head coach, Chisi accumulated almost the same number of points as Honor Janza did in 25 games, The latter however even managed to help the team to a positive goal difference.
Red Arrows went on to finish the season in position number Nine with 13 wins, 14 draws and 11 wins managing 53 points. After that impressive run which saw him go 12 games unbeaten the hierarchy at Nkoloma decided to was time to hand Chisi the top job.
It will be interesting to see if he has the same ‘magic’ this year when the transitional league season kicks off in less than 48 hours.With defending Champions Zesco United, Lusaka dynamos, Green Buffaloes and Mighty Mufulira Wanderers in the same stream it will be a big achievement should Chisi finish in the top four and later alone top two.
Arrows will start their campaign with a trick away encounter against the Bankers, Sensational Zanaco at Sunset. Can Chisi Mbewe inspire Arrows to the top of stream A?
