Born in Lusaka and raised in one of the famous and peaceful residential areas of Woodlands A, The story of Alfred Mphande is a unique one.
He did his primary education in Zambia before moving to Zimbabwe where he closed the chapter of primary education before returning with a “home is home” sentiment to complete his secondary education from Lusaka.
Coming back was not easy on the education front as he was requested to start from the primary level due to his zimbabwe secondary education qualification not being deemed fit to proceed into Zambian secondary schools.
Refusing to go back to primary school, he chose to play football on the beautiful surface of the best learning institution in Zambia, the University of Zambia on its field by then named Dag stemming from a multi-use stadium in Ndola called Dag Hammarskjold.
It was from UNZA grounds from where he was spotted by Ackim Mwale one of the Lusaka Dynamos coaches to play in its youth team, the under 16s.
Not long after this Lusaka Dynamos under 16 team played a friendly match with Chongwe boarding secondary school and an opportunity arose for him to go back to school after an impressive performance during the friendly game the school offered.
It was at chongwe secondary school that he played alongside Perry “Bebeto” Mutapa, Alex Namazaba, and Chaswe Nsofwa with his great technique on the right-wing being a great concern for opponents. At chongwe secondary school, he won the Coca-Cola tournament beating Naboi in the finals, the supreme schools’ football cup.
After completing secondary education, his parent club Lusaka Dynamos allowed him to join the Zanaco under 16 team and after a year he was promoted to the senior team and sent on loan to Garden Stars FC which was playing in division one south the second tier of Zambian football by then before penning a permanent move when the club was sold to new owners who named it K-stars.
He never played competitive football for long as he suffered a career-ending injury when his team K-stars were playing away to Nakambala FC in division one south, a second-tier division of Zambian football.
After the injury, he was appointed as youth teams coach for under 5,10,12, and 14. A few years later the team was changed from K-stars to Chiparamba great eagles.
Mphande worked together with Nenani Banda the son to the late 4th Republican President, Rupiah Banda that Chiparamba made great eagles blossom as one of the best football academies in the land.
The current City of Lusaka coach can be credited for identifying or contributing to the development of players like David Nkausu, Racha kola, Fwayo Tembo, Rally Bwalya, Alex Sichone, Given Singuluma, Rabson Mucheleng’anga, Dominic Yobe, Clifford Mulenga, Hichani Himonde, Mwape Mwelwa, William Njobvu, Justine Shonga, Lameck Banda, Lubambo Musonda to mention but a few.
