FOR some time now, I have been wondering why only a few Zambian players have been managing to clinch professional football deals abroad despite impressing the foreign clubs during trials.
So this week I decided to allow South Africa-based Zambian football scout, Kennie Chishimba, who manages Evolution Football Academy in Bloemfontein, to give his views concerning the local players’ failure to sign professional contracts abroad.
His academy currently has 40 players, who mostly are under the age of 23 and come from various disadvantaged backgrounds.
Mr Chishimba writes: “In 2002, I brought Noah Chivuta to South Africa to play for Hellenic FC after a recommendation by Hillary Makasa. I also made it possible for Hillary Makasa to join Ria Stars FC from Ajax Cape Town FC where he became a more prominent football player in South Africa.
Later in 2005, I also brought Rotson Kilambe and Sashi Chalwe to Bloemfontein Celtic FC where they successfully helped the team win the MTN Top Eight Challenge.
Four years ago, I brought Clifford Mulenga to Bloemfontein Celtic FC where he excelled as the team’s best midfielder and even made it to the Zambian Team which participated in the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations.
The football clubs in South Africa still acknowledge and value the talent from Zambia and I believe the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) also is aware of this.
The problem that has recently surfaced is that the Zambian football players are being over-priced when the football clubs from South Africa enquire about their services.
This has now caused a marginal drop in the number of Zambian football players plying their trade in the South African Premier Soccer League compared to previous years.”
Thanks for your insight Mr Chishimba.
I also got a feedback from P’anji M Banda of Lusaka concerning the previous column ‘Let’s have a replica trophy’.
He writes: “Thumbs up to FAZ and SuperSport for the new super league trophy. Hard to imagine our league has been without one all this time.
However, as per sporting norms, FAZ must allow the league winners to retain the trophy for the duration of the season until crowning of the subsequent one. Keeping the trophy at Football house (as reported in the media) defies all logic. Even the Teflon FIFA allows World Cup winners to keep the trophy for 4 years.
FAZ must venture into merchandising replica trophies, some miniaturized version of the original. This is an income generating opportunity that must be fully harnessed.
I hope sooner rather than later we will start seeing genuine replicas on sale before hawkers and brief case business men pounce on this opportunity and deny the Association extra income which, by the look of things they are in desperate need of.
FAZ have already lost out on the replica jerseys and must not allow this opportunity to go the same way. “
Thank you Mr Banda for sharing your views. Let’s continue interacting on malungaf@gmail.com.