The piece was never posted because I wanted to edit it further or even add more analysis to it and i just never got the time to add anything on it and like many pieces I write, it just never made it on my blog. Here is the piece uplifted as raw as it was left back then in 2013 or there abouts;
The inevitable has happened. The Zambia
National soccer team has yet again failed to qualify to the FIFA world cup. In
as much as most fans are cross with the Ghana FA and other Ghanaian officials,
I beg to differ with that approach. Our qualification was not lost in Ghana,
but in Lesotho and Ndola. I only mention these two places because I don’t want
to include the spanking we got in Khartoum as a FIFA boardroom decision gave us
a lifeline.
Even though the loss in Khartoum did not count
towards our failure to book a maiden WC appearance, the performance Zambia put
up their still deserves some mention. It was so terrible a performance, I was
left wondering if that had been the same Zambia that had won the AFCON title a
few months before. In winning the AFCON, Zambia actually thumped Sudan 3nil,
which was also the score line the same score line the previous time the two
teams had met at another AFCON tournament.
After another world cup qualification campaign
that has ended in misery for Zambia it is time we looked at what the problems
had been and how we can remedy such in order to secure qualification to AFCON
2015 and World cup 2018. Looking back at the 2014 qualification campaign, we
actually didn’t come as close to qualification as most people may have
thought. We ended up with a whopping 4
points behind group leaders Ghana; this is despite free 3 points. We couldn’t
beat Sudan home and away while Lesotho beat Sudan. Then add to that the fact
that Ghana the group leaders haven’t yet made it to Brazil but have to endure a
knock out stage. The closest Zambia ever got to World cup qualification really
must be USA 94 when we just needed a draw in Morocco. This time around, it was
disaster.
Looking at the games (competitive) the
Chipolopolo have played post 2012 AfCON, it has been one heart break after
another.
Sudan 2(0) vs 0(3) Zambia:
In this game the stand out performers were
Stophira Sunzu and Nathan Sinkala. The flops were Thomas Nyirenda, Isaac Chansa
and Emmanuel Mayuka. The rest were all below average. Chisamba Lungu may have
shown some individual brilliance but it was nothing of note when the whole team
performance was so disjointed. The result was that Zambia was beaten pants down
2-0. Thanks to Sudan not following the rules the result was overturned and a
3-0 score line awarded to Zambia.
Zambia 1 vs 0 Ghana
This game played on 9 June 2012 was probably
the best Zambia has ever played post 2012 AFCON. There was concentration at the
back and the midfield was well marshaled and captain fantastic Christopher
Katongo was excellent on the day. Even though Ghana tried to come back in the
last 10 minutes, the lads were resolute and they held their own and got the
points. My man of the match was Sunzu and the other top performers included
Hichaani Himonde, Rainford Kalaba, Emmanuel Mbola, and Kennedy Mweene. My flops
of the game were Emmanuel Mayuka and Felix Katongo.
Zambia 1 vs 0 Uganda
The big news on this hot sunny afternoon of
September 8th 2012 was that striker Jacob Mulenga of Dutch side FC
Utrecht had failed to make the final 18 for the game. Jacob was due to end his
10 month absence from the team after a long injury spell. However, Skipper Chris
Katongo made light of the exclusion of the Utrecht star man by tapping in from
close range in the 21st minute and having another effort ruled out
later. However this 2013 AFCON qualifier ended with Uganda searching for an
equalizer and Zambia thanking Sunzu and Mweene for staying in the game. The
obvious flop in this game was Felix Katongo who was even booed by the crowd.
The other flop was James Chamanga who missed some chances a national team
player worth his salt must not be guilty of wasting. Chris Katongo also seemed
to have disappeared from the game the whole of the 2nd half. Mweene
and Sunzu again proved crucial and Chisamba lungu and Jonas Sakuwaha showed a
lot of promise in the few minutes they were accorded on the pitch.
Uganda 1 vs 0 Zambia
This is the match that made everyone to sit
back and realize something was wrong in the Chipolopolo. Uganda was the better
side on the day and probably on the two legs. Zambia’s lack of goal scoring
prowess was laid bare in this game. Captain Katongo again did not turn up, and
a host of other offensive players. Surprisingly, even Nathan didn’t turn up in
this game. My flops of the game though were Isaac Chansa and Nkausu. Top
performers were Mwene, Hichani Himondee and Sunzu.
Ethiopia 1 vs 1 Zambia
Despite being the under dogs, being a man down,
being a goal down, the Walya Antelopes showed more hunger more skill and more
determination than did the chipolopolo. This was Herve Renard's 11th game in
charge of Zambia at a Cup of Nations, and had lost only 1 Of the previous 10 (v
Cameroon in 2010), the only game when he wore a blue shirt. As early as the 17th
minute, Zambia escaped a scare when Sunzu and Hichanni were caught napping by a
long ball which came to Saladin Seid on the edge of the box, with Mweene flying
towards him. Luckily he lobbed it over the bar besides bouncing inside the six
yard box. Thanks to the poor pitch it went over.
The flops of this game were Stophira Sunzu,
Hichani Himonde, Joseph Musonda Rainford Kalaba, Isaac Chansa, Chris Katongo
and Jacob Mulenga for the few minutes he was on the pitch. Chisamba was the
most outstanding Zambian on the pitch. Mweene was excellent, even saving a
penalty and Mukuka Mulenga was superb after coming on as a sub.
Zambia 1 vs 1 Nigeria
I have been one of the loudest supporters of
Herve Renard, but on this day I joined the band wagon for those calling for his
dismissal. Only difference is i don't want him fired immediately but to let him
wind down his contract which expires in 2014 I am made to believe.
Reasons:
1. In as much as most players loss of form was to Blame for Zambia's lost WC dream, Renard should bear the brunt as he kept using the same players. It seems some players have personal to holder slots in the team. This even upset Jacob who almost retired.
Reasons:
1. In as much as most players loss of form was to Blame for Zambia's lost WC dream, Renard should bear the brunt as he kept using the same players. It seems some players have personal to holder slots in the team. This even upset Jacob who almost retired.
2. Zambia's footballing strength has always been in fluent attacking football, but Renard is a very cautious coach all the time hence sets his teams to avoid losing rather than to win games. This explain the string of nil-nil draws and at most 1-1.
3. Renard's away record is nothing to write home about. With that record and the ‘Fox’ still at the helm of Chipolopolo, Zambia may not qualify to AFCON 2015.
4. With Renard's percentage win of 36.5%, this does not look good in any way and cannot be a basis for him to be given another hefty contract.
5. Zambia has never struggled against sides like Botswana, Lesotho, Uganda, Ethiopia, Burkinafaso and even Sudan whom Lesotho walloped in the last WC qualifier. Under Renard, all these teams have proved to be a thorn in Zambia's flesh. Even Malawi has beaten Zambia.
6. For a long time now the chipolopolo have failed lamentably to find a scoring formula thus ending most matches either goalless or scoring the odd goal. Oddly enough, Renard seems to be out of sorts as regards solutions to this. The problem will most likely persist.
7. Winning AFCON has left Renard with little hunger within himself to do more. Or it could be the hunger lost within the players, hence they may need a new face to kickstart that hunger.
8. There are players who should no longer be
the mainstay of Chipolopolo senior national team, unless at the most just
playing supporting roles. Among them should be Christopher Katongo, Rainford
Kalaba and Collins Mbesuma. These are not small players by any means, hence
there must be a systematic way to move from a dependence on them as they have
really contributed little in their recent appearances.
9. In view of point 8, a very courageous coach
should make Chisamba Lungu, as the main creative force for Chipolopolo even
though other people argue that Chisamba does not score too often and rarely
assists too. There must be a very competent understudy to Kennedy Mweene too.
10. All in all, there should be a plan for the
next 5 – 10 years so that we can have a competent team to qualify Zambia to the
next possible 5 international tournaments, starting with AFCON 2015, AFCON
2017, World cup 2018, AFCON 2019, AFCON 2021 and World cup 2022.
If this is not done and we expect the current
crop of players to deliver for us then we may be doomed. Zambia may not qualify
even for AFCON 2015 and AFCON 2017. Qualification for AFCON has always been a
minimum requirement for Zambia, but going by recent performances, we will miss
a couple of tournaments before we are eventually forgotten by the global
football world.
One thing is certain, the glory from 2012 AFCON
is gone and gone too quick and we must face our inner demons and exorcise them.
We can only move forward if we did an extensive audit and a SWOT analysis.
Just a foreword from me if we are ever to do a
SWOT analysis; our players’ careers have a very short lifespan, 3-4 years at
their peak for most of them. Whatever causes this, should be the first thing
that must be purged!
For now eyes on Libya and Russia.
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