By SANDRA MWILA –
HONOUR Janza says the absence of the TP Mazembe quartet will not disrupt his initial game plan of ensuring the Chipolopolo defend the COSAFA Senior Challenge Cup that kicks of May 17 in South Africa.

. Janza

Janza said in an interview yesterday that it would have been an advantage to have the Mazembe quartet of captain Rainford Kalaba, Nathan Sinkala, Kabaso Chongo and Given Singuluma.
He said he would work with the available players, especially that the technical bench was mindful that the tournament did not fall under the FIFA calendar and clubs were not obliged to release players.
“The absence of the Mazembe players won’t change anything. We are very mindful that COSAFA tournament is not on a FIFA date and we shall work with available players and their absence will not change our initial plan,” he said.
Club sources at Mazembe said the club had nine games in the league play-offs and wanted all the star players available for the assignments which would determine clubs to represent Congo in the CAF Champions League and Confederation Cup next year.
With the COSAFA Cup being staged during the non FIFA recognised dates, the Mazembe sources said there was no way the Lubumbashi-based club could release their players for such an engagement.
Janza said the services of the Mazembe players would be missed but the players should work hard and forge ahead without them. He said the available players should be able to bring forth the desirable results as most local players had been exposed to international games.
“We have participated in the COSAFA tournament before with available players and we will do the same this year. We have to respect clubs’ decisions to withhold players since it’s not on FIFA dates,” he said.
Janza said he was confident that the players to be summoned for COSAFA team would be capable of bringing glory to the country and that the absence of some foreign-based players should not be a hindrance to forge ahead.
He added that they were still positive indications of the Israel duo of Evans Kangwa and Emmanuel Mbola to be part of COSAFA squad.
“There are still good indicators that Mbola and Evans might be available for COSAFA. We are still in the process of negotiating with the club and we are hoping for positive response,” he said.