. Mumamba

By SAMUEL LUKHANDA –
ZANACO coach Mumamba Numba says his nomination for the MTN-FAZ coach-of-the-year award is validation of the hard work done by the club’s technical bench after the mass player exodus that followed their championship season in 2016.
Numba said it was an honor to be considered among the best coaches in Zambia for the second year running after his side was written off after losing almost all first team players in the off-season.
“Whether I win this award or not, it is gratifying to me to be nominated, especially this year considering where my team has come from. After the exodus of players abroad, it wasn’t easy for the technical bench to come up with a formidable team that can compete favorably in the continental game.
“I think with the few players we had, we did well in the CAF Champions League and only eliminated by eventual winners Wydad Casablanca on goal aggregate. Even in the league, the team did very well because nobody gave us a chance before the season kicked-off but we proved the critics wrong,” said the Zanaco trainer.
He said Zanaco stayed focuses and strong on their objectives to only surrender their crown on the last day to Zesco United but it speaks volume of the attitude of the team and that is what makes it sweeter to him.
He paid tribute to the players who stepped up to the challenge when called upon and made the year memorable by winning the Barclays Cup, ended up as runners up in the Super Division and reached the group stages of the CAF champions League.
Numba will be up against Bilton Musonda of Green Buffaloes who defied odds by pushing an average team to the brink of a championship and Nkana’s Beston Chambeshi who after guiding the under-20 at the World Cup, took over the Kitwe giants to finish in third place when it looked they will not be in the race.
He recognises that other nominees have done well at their clubs and it will be tight as to who takes the accolade home.
And young player-of- the- year front runner Lameck Banda, who was unaware of the nomination, said he worked really hard and it was befitting that he is among the candidates for the award.
The Nkwazi forward fancies his chances against the competition but he will have his under-20 team captain Prince Mumba of Kabwe Warriors for company, Nkana’s Harrison Chisala and Mufulira Wanderers Crispin Sakulanda to contend with.
Banda said he has put in the work and leaves it up to God as it was out of his hands now but remained hopeful he will be rewarded.