AFRICANEWS
ZambiaFootball: The lost glorySportsby Frank Bwalya
It all looks like the Zambian soccer supremacy took a deep plunge the very moment that ill-fated plane crashed off the coast of Gabon involving almost the entire skillful national team which perished on April 28,1993. Despite the hastily assembled team which took over shortly after the tragedy, there is little if nothing that seems to suggest that Zambia will ever regain its' lost glory as the number one soccer great on the African map. However, the team under the tutelage of Danish coach Rould Poulsen seemed to have been a promising outfit. The departure of Poulsen after some misunderstanding with the government saw the team left in the 'capable' hands of Zambian trainer George Mungwa who propelled the team to the apogee of success, lifting the then inaugural regional Confederation of Southern African Football Association (COSAFA) castle cup in 1997 but ran short of qualifying for the world cup in 1998. The rabid soccer fraternity in Zambia have one thing in common: They are much more comfortable when the team brings good results but are quick to scream for the coach's blood in the event of a loss. This was the case when Mungwa, after a string of successes with the team he helped mould, somehow lost along the way during his reign in 1998. There was a chorus for his removal from across Zambia's nine provinces with a population of approximately 12 million. "This country requires an expatriate coach to drive the team to higher heights. What is it that the current coaching staff have achieved?'' asked one emotional soccer fan from the mining town of Kitwe. The situation was a repeat of the Cup of African Nations (CAN 2000) co-hosted early this year by Ghana and Nigeria when the Zambian dropped out in the preliminary round of the prestigious 22nd African soccer championships early this year. The soccer fans even this time around were at hand to bay for the blood of coach Ben Bamfuchile. Wisdom Mukonka, a soccer enthusiast from the coppermining town of Kitwe said Zambia's glory as a footballing nation was lost down the drain and there was need to restore the reputation. "We need to suspend international football. It is not right to go for competition when it is evident that we are not ready," Mukonka in an emotive tone told the state controlled Times of Zambia in reaction to Zambia's dishonourable exit at CAN 2000 on February. The Football Associatian of Zambia (FAZ) always listening to soccer fans tantrums responded by sending 'Bamfu' and his assistant Obby Kapita on what the nearly installed FAZ boss Evaristo Kasunga called 'study leave.' George Mungwa is the new stand-in coach taking over from Bamfuchile a Tanzanian. He was appointed last February. Snowy-haired Mungwa became the darling of many soccer fans including republican president Frederick Chiluba after a spate of victories in 1997 when he once again coached the team after the departure of the Danish coach Rould Poulsen. Mungwa's appointment in February this year came after Zambia's exit from the tournament apparently to come and straighten soccer. His past mettle is yet to be seen for the results lie in the womb of the future as the late Kenyan academician and political scientist, Professor Ali Amin Mazrui would have it said. Football here is a religion and the seriousness with which it is accorded is further exemplified by the fact that the Zambian members of parliament apparently incensed by the team's poor showing at CAN 2000 called for the uplifting of soccer standards one of which is to have a permanent team as one way of encouraging consistency in play. And during a match between Zambia and Burkina Faso Member of Parliament for Mumbwa west, Colonel Donald Chivubwe, a former army officer, collapsed while watching a soccer match between Zambia and Burkina Faso. According to ruling Movement for Multi-party Democracy (MMD) spokesman, Vernon Mwanga ,Colonel Chivubwe who was pronounced dead on arrival at Zambia University Teaching Hospital (UTH) had a record of high blood pressure. Col. Chivubwe collapsed in the first half of the match. Zambia was leading by a goal to zero. FAZ for which the MPs had made representations recognised the need for a formidable team. FAZ spokesperson Fain Mwikisa knows this too well. "We appreciate government's concern over football. We are not going to be at loggerheads with them (the ruling Movement for Multi-party Democracy, MMD government)," Mwikisa told the church owned independent weekly, National Mirror on March 4 this year. The government as a major stakeholder on its part says the suggestion by the MPs is one which the government would explore within its' ambit. Sports Minister Syacheye Madyenkuku responding to MPs' cries to revamp ailing soccer standards in the country, said the government would give FAZ the support it deserves. "The clarion calls by the honourable members of parliament to have a permanent national team was an interesting possibility which my ministry would pursue," Madyenkuku said. But Zambia's unbeaten run at home turf received a major upset once again when the team failed to perform wonders. In a somewhat explosive friendly match, Malawi broke the jigsaw puzzle when they humbled Zambia 1-0 at Independence stadium on March 13,2000. Zambia's grudging loss to unfancied Malawi at home ground has incurred the wrath even of local sportswriters-supposedly to be cheerleaders for the home team, but not anymore. Zambia Daily Mail sports columnist Benedict Tembo peppered his write-up thus: "When players are selected to line up for their country, it should be made clear from the time they enter camp that they have to uphold tradition of beating all neighbours, South Africa included. "Even a baby in the bedroom must have some instinctive knowledge that Zambia should never lose to Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Congo DR, Tanzania and, indeed Indian or Atlantic Ocean Islands. "We have taught some of the neighbours football and that is what Zambian footballers should live to exert at all levels," reads part of Benedict's lampoon in the March 19 edition. But it will take many more years for real soccer to come back to Zambia,possibly 10 to 20 years! Although Zambia adeptly displays what most local soccer commentators and soccer fans alike term as 'champagne' football. Zambia's soccer legend Kalusha Bwalya (no relationship with this writer), the survivor of the 1993 Gabon tragedy seems to have developed 'jelly legs' as he has lost his steam and stamina if his performance at CAN 2000 is to be used as a yardstick. Great Kalu or Lusha as he is fondly called is a symbol of Zambian football. Likewise, there is no football without this left-footed man who has variously been described as the inspirational skipper. Kalusha is the captain of the Zambian side. But featuring 'Kalu' in the Zambia national team for the CAN 2000 did not help matters as he will forever be a living testimony of how he has 'finished' for lack of a better term. Kalu literally failed to exhibit his characteristic football skills. He needs a replacement or more to inspire the squad. The man has really advanced in age since he has lost his swiftness. Zambian football needs more than just expatriate trainers. It requires a focused nation to develop its talent. No wonder some soccer critics are calling for the development of netball to replace soccer or some other sport because in their own words "enough is finally enough." Supremacy in sport should start from the grassroots.This is where child development efforts need to be activated. Zambia has few secondary schools located all over the country's nine provinces. But there is a total lack of a well co-ordinated soccer at school level. The best thing to do is for the authorities to revive sports at school and community levels, the reservoir of talent. The Zambian sports ministry has to lead the way in identifying ways of immediately addressing the issue of football here. Only then can this country once again regain its lost glory. The "get rid of so and so coach" as is traditional among soccer fans each time the Zambian squad fails to deliver the much needed results is no panacea for the prevailing rock-bottom soccer environment. What is needed is to harness and nurture football from the backwaters-the shanty compounds and the countryside where soccer greats are 'buried in cacoons'. That is the only magic wand that would spearhead the declining soccer in Zambia.
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