ZAMBIA’s embarrassing defeat suffered at the hands of Cape Verde in a Group F Morocco 2015 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier should not come as a surprise to anyone because it was well written even before the game was played.
Why do I say so, events leading to Wednesday’s clash in Praia were evident enough to suggest that more embarrassment was to follow the team that put up a dismal performance against Mozambique.
Coach Honour Janza failing to make bold decisions on team selections and the eventual shambolic preparations when chartering the plane are some of the factors that led to this embarrassment and yet a country cries for a local trainer.
Without piling much blame on late arrival of the team, the first problem was failure by the coach to maintain bulk of the players that won him his first match in charge against Sudan opting to play names.
That aside, the coach seems to have no tactical approach to the two games the Chipolopolo lost vital five points in the qualification race and that is why sometimes some countries prefer foreign coaches from other continents.
It was surprising to see Janza making a double substitution in the first half bring in the Katongo brothers of Chris and Felix for Chisamba Lungu and Donashano Malama while culprits like Jacob Mulenga and Emmanuel Mbola continued playing. Is there an external hand at play?
Like I said in my last column, there is need for Janza to do away with tired legs and bring in fresh blood into the team, bring in players that have something to prove and play for. These other guys won us the AFCON title and we say thank you but let us not continue calling on them even when we have got players that can do the job.
I wonder what would have been wrong for the coaching bench to fuse in a few players in that squad that beat Sudan unlike making an overhaul change.
Collecting just a point from a possible six should be a great concern to both Janza and his employers FAZ. While people have cried for a local coach to be at the helm of the Chipolopolo, it may just backfire badly by missing out on the AFCON finals.
Mind you, there is another trip to Niger on October 10 before a return match set for October 15 at the Heroes National Stadium which will be played on a Wednesday. Let proper preparations including flight arrangements be done now to avoid the repeat of the Cape Verde delayed departure.
There is also need to have a relook at the Chipolopolo bench setup, if FAZ insists on sticking with Janza, bring in experienced coaches that can assist and we have a long list of them in the league.
Why should the likes of Ronald ‘Sate Sate’ Kampamba, Roderick Kabwe, Bruce Musakanya, Christopher Munthali, Evans Kangwa, Lubambo Musonda, Larry Bwalya, and the list is endless, continue to be sidelined?
It is high time Janza took that brave decision and drop players that do not deserve to be in the team.