Zambia U23 national soccer team coach Fighton Simukonda says he is expecting Mukuka Mulenga and Lubambo Musonda to join his team in the next couple of weeks ahead of the 2015 Congo-Brazzaville All-Africa Games preliminary qualifier against Madagascar on February 21.
Simukonda said the two influential players could not join the team as they needed to rest after featuring for the senior team at the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament.
The duo will also first report to their respective clubs before linking up with the Under-23 squad.
“Mukuka and Lubambo just came from the AFCON tournament and therefore need to rest. They also have to report to their clubs and thereafter the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) will engage in talks over their release to the team,’ he said.
He said only 16 reported for a training camp while others were still engaged at their clubs like the Power Dynamos and Zesco United players who were busy preparing for their respective Confederation of African Football (CAF) inter-club competitions.
Simukonda, however, expressed happiness with the players’ commitment and discipline during training.
He said the team needed to win the away game in Antananarivo to ease the burden in the return match.
Simukonda said he had confidence in the players and that the level of competitiveness being exhibited was a sign for good performance.
Zambia will face Madagascar on February 21 in the first leg preliminary round of the 2015 Congo-Brazzaville All-Africa Games qualifiers before facing the winners between Botswana and Kenya in the Olympic Games qualifier in March.
Times
I’m not sure this extended stay away from their respective clubs is a good thing to be honest. Its the clubs that pay the bills at the end of the day.
Well said coach, he is making this request public now so people are aware of it.
This will be a strongest u-23 Zambia has produced after the one we had in 2007 which had the likes of Rainford Kalaba, Clifford Mulenga and many more . With Mukuka Mulenga and Lubambo Musonda, even Sate Sate should be part of this team, they should go far in all africa games and make it to 2016 olympics.
Even our u-20 should work hard in Senegal and make it to the U-20 wc. By 2018, Zambia will have a strongest team to represent Africa in Russia & possibly reaches the semi finals.
100% correct. this team is capable of wiping out some under 23 of a certain country who day dream by calling themselves, the germany of africa jst becoz they drew with germany at the worldcup
I agree with big Steve especially on lubambo musonda he should only feature for the u-20 at afcon and world cup. He must go back to his club in europe for now.
Faz should not be selfish lubambo cannot feature on all those realistically he should just be with the under 20. His club also need him
@paradox,you are not even ashamed..i thought you said you are leaving zamfoot for a longer time? lol..i still dont understand why you want to speak ill of ghana despite of your team disgracing themself in afcon..continue dreaming..you started dreaming during the world cup qualifies and you are still dreaming.anyway,i love this quote.”as you keep dreaming,we stay awake implementing them”
its a falacy to think we can strengthen our team by 2018 if we hav strong u20 and u23 teams then end there. its the problem we have in zambia embracing mediocrity. our players will after that end up in the useless psl and congolese and chinese leagues. the only way we can become one of the powerhouses in football we need to let these youngsters break into european ligues at next to no fee. on sate sate, only time will tell. i still insist even as a nkana fan the boy has abundant skill but lacks a basic education to understand wat he needs for the future and the nature of contracts. his body size is why he failed to shine at afcon.
Stumpy is right our boys should be sold to Europe. We will never match Ghana until we sell. To me Ghana is the king of African football at the moment. Algeria is a weak team I always knew they fluked that world cup performance. The real giant is Ghana.