By IGNATIUS MAZEKO -
CHIPOLOPOLO coach Herve Renard has said defender Stoppila Sunzu has been rushed to settle for English Premier League relegation fighting side Reading because money has proved to be more important in African soccer than planning a player’s career.
Sunzu arrived in the Royal County of Berkshire in England on Monday for a four-day training stay with Reading, who are expected to seal a deal with the 23-year-old towering defender by Friday.
Renard said in an interview from Nelspruit, South Africa yesterday that a bigger team than Reading would have signed on Sunzu if he had waited for the end of the Orange 2013 Africa Cup of Nations that kicks off in South Africa on Saturday.
“If he was my son, I would have told him to play a very good Africa Cup and he would have gone to a better team because in my opinion he can play for a big team. But my opinion is not important. In Africa, money is more important than to plan for a players’ career,” he said.
When first asked to comment on Sunzu’s move to ‘The Royals’, Renard responded with a three word answer, “simply the best.”
“When I say ‘simply the best’, it means there is a reason about my thought on Sunzu,” said the Frenchman, who converted Sunzu from a defensive midfielder to a reputable central defender when he first came to Zambia after the 2008 Africa Cup.
But Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) president Kalusha Bwalya told Reuters that “The Zambia national team will always be there but opportunities like this do not come around often in a player’s career so we were happy to let him go,”
“We have agreed with Reading, his club TP Mazembe and ourselves that he takes up this chance. Reading were quite insistent on seeing him so it is a good sign. “Ultimately it is advantageous to our team to have players from clubs at the highest level.”
Reading reaffirmed in a statement published on the team’s website yesterday what DR Congo side TP Mazembe had said on Sunday that Sunzu would spend four days training with The Royals.
“Central defender Sunzu, 23, has been given permission by Zambia and his club TP Mazembe to temporarily leave his country’s Africa Cup of Nations squad, in order to train with the Royals and be assessed by our coaching staff,” said Reading.
The Brian McDermott-coached Reading said Sunzu would rejoin Chipolopolo in Nelspruit later this week ahead of the African champions’ Orange Africa Cup Group C opening match against Ethiopia set for Monday at Mbombela Stadium.
Sunzu attended trials at Reading after featuring for Zambia’s Under-20 squad at the 2007 FIFA World Youth Cup that was held in Canada but he was not signed on because he could not obtain a work permit.
McDermott told BBC Radio Berkshire and Reading Players that he is happy with the business he has done so far in this winter transfer window, and says more deals could be possible if the right players came up.
Gagamuka
January 17, 2013 at 9:19 am
Renard is right if sunzu is good which i believe he is opportunities will wait for him.Look at mayuka he is a shadow of himself becoz of rushed decisions. You can not retire form been a president and the you become a general manager
JANCQUE CHARLES
January 17, 2013 at 11:11 am
EVEN THAT SIDE HE CAN PROVE HIMSELF AND MAKE IT TO ABIG CLUB
Chimpombwa
January 17, 2013 at 11:21 am
Make it a big club on his own? Where in the world?
Nibola fye
January 17, 2013 at 11:25 am
Iwe chatile he/she said “make it TO A big club” not make “it a big club”. I still think Renard is spot on
Mwanamfumu
January 17, 2013 at 9:41 am
HR is correct on this one,the problem with this corrupt Kalu chitole is that alitemwa ukulyamo. Wanya your days are numbered.
Mubemba no1
January 17, 2013 at 6:01 pm
So are yours my brother so are yours.
Cometh the hour, cometh judgement
January 17, 2013 at 11:29 am
HR is indeed right.
“Chipolopolo will always be there but opportunities like this do not come around often in a player’s career so we were happy to let him go,….blah blah blah” Ba kalu beve, awe sure mwe
Mutototo 2
January 17, 2013 at 11:51 am
Even from there he can do better, he can later catch-up with a big club when he gets familiar to European football.
ONE KUCHILENJE
January 17, 2013 at 3:38 pm
Its ok everything starts from somewhere
STANLEY
January 17, 2013 at 5:09 pm
its ok let him start with Reading and from there big teams will spot him.
Soccer Fan No2
January 17, 2013 at 6:03 pm
Awe mukwai ba Renard. There is not but one path to success. Stoppila can still get to the big clubs. Ask Drogba
manyengo
January 17, 2013 at 8:14 pm
Let this fncker go and finish himself with that poor team. HR , you’re very right but this Galu always want ukulyamo
feli
January 17, 2013 at 9:51 pm
Renard being sunzu’s coach is the same as being his father meaning that if sunzu’s moving to reading wasnt sufficient to please renard, it was best for him to call sunzu and tell him it was a wrong move,thereby it was going to be wise to for renard to behave like a father and not just a coach who has never played soccer. one zambia.
Grant
January 17, 2013 at 10:33 pm
Ba Renard – are you saying that Harry Redknapp who went to the struggling QPR as Coach is from Africa and went there because of money. Infact Sunzu stands to be highly recognised if he assists Readings out of the relegation zone more than if he joins Chelsea or other such teams.
Conspirancy
January 19, 2013 at 9:30 am
“Assist reading out relegation?” You are joking, you will never hear from them again. Zambians stop settling for second best!
Wanu Ngwee
January 17, 2013 at 10:57 pm
He didnt have a choice, Kalusha alilyakale and just had to deliver poor Sunzu…!! This time naine Ndeloleshafye!!
ashmail
January 18, 2013 at 3:51 pm
am behind you renard sunzu plays best and he really needed 2 wait 4 the right opportunity.
bwwwwwwantu
January 18, 2013 at 7:06 pm
Just encourage the boy
kawi mix
January 18, 2013 at 10:27 pm
Sunzu will make it I have no doubt whatsoever
kawi mix
January 18, 2013 at 10:34 pm
Sunzu is a defender and Mayuka is astriker so these shud not be compared in performance.He is my man and will make Zambia proud in EPL.Go Sunzu Go.
kawi mix
January 18, 2013 at 10:37 pm
Sunzu is a defender and Mayuka is a striker so these shud not be compared in performance.He is my man and will make Zambia proud in EPL.Go Sunzu Go.
kakolwe
January 19, 2013 at 4:43 am
What better way can there be than proving himself at stoping big strikers from your ‘so-called’ big clubs when playing against them? If Sunzu stops RVP, Roonie, Gerard, Obi Mikel, +++ stars of the EPL, it wont be long befor Barca, Real, Arsenal, Man U/City etc rush for him.
Observer
January 19, 2013 at 9:11 am
I think for now it is better for him to be at Reading. Also, the so called big teams are hard to secure a regular place, like Mayuka’s case. A bird in hand is worth two in the bush
PROFESOR
January 21, 2013 at 7:23 am
look at mayuka at Southampton everyday he is at bench ,joining an already finished team tracking with less than 20 point at this time of the season