ZAMBIA’S POOR PERFORMANCE WORRYING; WHO WILL REDEEM THE COUNTRY’S DWINDLING FOOTBALL PROFILE?

Under 20 in training in Lusaka

 By Mike Mubanga

 After witnessing two concurrent failures on the international football front, the issue of going back to the drawing board has been the song of the moment by football administrators, key sponsors and fans among other players.

In January, Zambia were bundled out of the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations after yet another poor display, drawing two matches (against DR Congo and Cape Verde) and losing their penultimate match 2-1 at the hands of  Tunisia.

This poor display was a continuation of what millions of Zambians witnessed in 2013, when the Chipolopolo Boys drew all their three matches in South Africa, to exit the tournament early.

Unlike 2013 when Zambia’s Group members Burkina Faso and Nigeria went all the way to the finals, 2015 saw Ivory Coast, who the Chipolopolo beat to win the 2012 Africa Cup, meet Ghana in a repeat of the 1992 Africa Cup finale.

In 2012, an Emmanuel Mayuka well executed goal was enough to guarantee the Chipolopolo a place in the finals at the expense of Ghana, who were shell-shocked and left wondering as to what happened.

The rest, as we know, is history.

Since then, the Chipolopolo have continued struggling at the biggest continental showpiece, and this struggle seems to be slipping over to the junior national soccer teams.

How times Change….

Quite alright, and deservedly so, the Zambia Under-17 National Soccer Team qualified to the African Youth Championship (AYC) for the first time in the history of the country’s football.

This success was huge, and despite issues of age-cheating and counter-age cheating against Zambia and their opponents Botswana and Uganda in the qualifiers, the Junior Chipolopolo’s ticket to Niger was guaranteed.

Their start at the 2015 AYC was shaky as the Chris Kaunda led boys lost 2-0 in their opening Group A match against Guinea at the General Seyni Kountche stadium in Niamey.

In the second Group match, skipper Patson Daka inspired the junior Chipolopolo to a 2-1 win over hosts Niger, but Daka and company could not do enough to redeem Zambia’s football profile, as they were outdone 3-1 by Nigeria in the last Group A match.

That defeat meant one thing, exit from Niamey…..

And with Zambians waiting to hear what Kaunda would say following the early exit, local journalists trooped to the Airport to cover the arrival of the Under-17 boys.

“We were so determined to get to the World Cup. Zambia was rated among the top four teams and everyone is disappointed. I cannot blame the players, they did their best but it wasn’t just our time and it didn’t happen the way we planned it. I take the blame,” said Kaunda on arrival at Lusaka’s Kenneth Kaunda International Airport on Tuesday, February 24^th, 2015.

It is difficult for a layman to understand these words because prior to the tournament, many learnt that the Under-17 squad had prepared adequately for the tournament and that come rain come sunshine, the junior Chipolopolo would come back with gold.

But truthfully speaking, too much sweet talk was heard in and outside training. I mean, Zambia did not prepare adequately for the tournament.

Simply put, the boys were not ready….

But this is a statement that many people in football corridors do not want to hear, and it will continue to haunt this country if we do not attach practice to everyday talk.

And now, the Zambia Under-20 National soccer team are the only hope in the first quarter of 2015.

They take part at this year’s AYC in Senegal, and are in Group B alongside Ghana, South Africa and Mali.

The tournament, which will run from March 8 to 22, will see Zambia kicking off their campaign against Mali on March 9.

I waste no time in agreeing with many that the current Hector Chilombo drilled side is one of the best under-20 squad that has been assembled in recent years.

This squad has experience, this squad has ambition.

I believe this squad can beat their Group opponents and go on to even win the competition because it is good.

I have watched these lads play, and I must mention that the young players have been a darling to watch in the local league.

All they need is perfect organisation, and they should not mind much what happens outside the pitch, because it is not all rosy out there.

Out there, there are issues of mostly unpaid allowances, which is an issue for another day.

The Under-20 boys have a good coach, and they are match-winners at their respective clubs. So, they should live up to the expectations of many Zambians that are expecting them to do well at the tournament, which is being used as a qualifier for the 2015 junior World Cup.

2007 was the last time that Zambia featured at the World Cup, and this year is an opportunity for the country to break the eight year Cup wait.

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