By Franklyn M Malambo
Watching the Zambia U17 boys at the world cup put up stellar performances is heart warming for two reasons ; their football is pleasing to the eye and very effective.
Their ball retention is good, passing and playing out from the back – progressive possession, use of the ball and pitch width is good and so is the ability to play in tight spaces & they are also showing a good sense of press resistance.
On any day, I’ll tell you it’s football as it should be.
A major reason for them observing and applying these basics is because the core play in academies or youth centred clubs where the basics are observed. Thankfully, they haven’t found themselves with coaches that will tell them “Bikapo, Kunuma bonse tuli makula, not Kupika or not Bola ya ku basungu” – some guy boxing them into his own limited space and limiting their potential. This is unfortunately the language in most of the top league teams – I hate it!
What these boys are doing now is possible even at senior level, the top teams do it – they stick to ideas and keep working at it until they get it right.
In the past, it’s been observed and asked how and why ours rarely have top level careers like their counterparts whom they beat at this level, I analysed that in detail here :
https://franklynmmalambo.wordpress.com/2019/06/12/how-africa-gets-it-wrong-transitioning-from-junior-to-senior-football/
Congratulations to the Boys, the Technical team, the Technical Directorate and the F.A on qualification to the next round with commanding performances.
