Janza’s Team Needs Surgery

SOCCER REVIEW with STEPHEN PHIRI
I DO not like the debate about whether Zambia is ready for a local coach but it seems it will soon be back on the table when one considers the national team’s dismal display against Mozambique.
That is not the Zambia that reached the quarter-finals of the 2010 Angola Africa Cup of Nations edition; that is not the Chipolopolo that won the 2012 Africa Cup title and that is not even the Zambia that played fairly well despite early elimination from the 2013 continental showpiece.
The Zambia I know is aggressive, passionate and versatile and not as flat as that which faced Mozambique in that barren draw at Ndola’s Levy Mwanawasa Stadium. The team that played the Mambas was flat, unambitious and certainly without any future unless something is done about it.
The question that, therefore, arises is: What has changed? For me, there are two things that have changed – the coach and time.
The team played well under Frenchman Herve Renard and played confidently throughout, beating even the most revered opposition en route to the title. Exit Renard, enter our own Honour Janza and the team’s performance collapses.
I do not want to attribute the poor performance to Janza as that would be unfair, though it is important to understand that it has happened under his reign and he, therefore, squarely shoulders responsibility.
The other thing that has changed is time, which has caught up with some of our best players.
Some of our players’ performance is over the hill because they are now very old and their legs can only carry them that much. Expecting them to perform at a high level is unfair.
Kennedy Mweene, Collins Mbesuma, Jacob Mulenga, Rainford Kalaba, Joseph Musonda, Given Singuluma and Christopher Katongo are just about or over 30 years old and do not have as much energy to expend as a 20-year-old.
Some of them have been playing for the national team since 2003 when Kalusha Bwalya became coach. In fact, they were either elevated to the national team or identified by him when he assumed the role of technical director.
They have done their best for the country and no-one is better suited to know this than Janza, the man privileged to drill our squad.
The ball is now in his court whether to continue using all these players and fail or change the ballgame altogether!
I am not advocating that he chases all the ‘old guards’, he could keep one or two who are useful.
Even his former boss Renard let go of one of Africa’s most lethal strikers Didier Drogba. The Chelsea man still has a lot of football life in him but Renard called time on his career.
What justification, therefore, does Janza have for using players who are not featured at their clubs?
While Janza’s intention is to get immediate results, he must be futuristic; he must have a perfect blend of old and new. Jacob, Kalaba, Mbesuma, Mweene, Clifford Mulenga played for the national team when they were teenagers.
This history is not far too off for Janza to forget. Where are the boys who qualified Zambia for the Africa Youth Championship? Where are they? In short, Janza needs an injection of fresh blood if Zambia are to make the 2015 Morocco tournament!
I may not be a technical man but it’s clear Janza also needs an experienced hand on the technical bench such as Fighton Simukonda, George Lwandamina or Wedson Nyirenda.
Take Brazil, for instance. While Felipe Scolari was coach, he had the legendary Carlos Parreira in his technical team.
It’s not too late for Janza to correct the situation.
But I am disappointed that the national team left for Cape Verde late yesterday because of circumstances ‘beyond their control’.
Next time, people tasked to charter a plane should do their homework instead of waiting for the last minute.
Remember, good preparations and success are inseparable.
Best wishes as the Chipolopolo face Cape Verde tonight.

Posted by Editor on September 10, 2014. Filed under SPORTS. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry