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| ZAMBIA : Who will replace BWALYA as coach? |
Following Kalusha BWALYA's resignation in April 2005 Kenya government has directed the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) to select a new coach for Chipolopolo, the national team.
Nigerian Stephen KESHI was favourite to become the appropriate person and was included in a five-men short-list comprising also Englishman Colwyn Rodger ROWE, Brazilian Edson SILVA, former Hungary coach Bertalan BICSKEI and James DUFFY, another Englishman. But at the end of February KESHI accepted an offer to return as coach of Togo; at the same time ROWE was said to have been appointed Botswana coach, so both men were removed from the short-list.
Zambia Sports permanent secretary Bob SAMAKAI informed BBC Sport that the government has directed the Sports Council and the FAZ to revisit the names of the 40 candidates that had initially applied for the job. A decision will probably be taken by April. Meanwhile, Patrick PHIRI is acting as caretaker coach for Chipolopolo but the preparations program he has set up is "in disarray," said he. He has been forced to cancel last week's training camp after several players failed to attend it. He was supposed to start work with his squad on Tesday 6 March but cancelled the camp the day after because only eight players turned up.
Besides, a forthcoming friendly international match against DR Congo has been cancelled because of shortage of Chipolopolo players and for logistical reasons. Both the match and the training camp were arranged as warm-up matches ahead of the vital Group 11 qualifier match for the African Nations Cup 2008. Zambia will play Congo on 24 March. PHIRI's task was further complicated by the refusal of Zambian clubs to release players ahead of last weekend's round of league matches. Zanaco were refusing to release seven players until the Zambian champions have played the second leg of their Champions League tie against Tunisia's Esperance on 16-18 March.
A local business has offered to pay the salary of the new coach to be recruited for a five-year period.
Samuel MBAJUM
(Source: Kennedy GONDWE, BBC correspondent in Lusaka.)
18/03/2007 |
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