. Sven

By SHAMAOMA MUSONDA  and ADRIAN MWANZA –
THE Football Association of Zambia says it will soon call for Executive Committee meeting to decide the fate of national team coach Sven Vandenbroeck.
The Belgian’s continued stay as Chipolopolo coach has been a matter of heated debate after he failed to qualify Zambia to next year’s Africa Cup, which was the priority task upon appointment.
FAZ vice-president Rix Mweemba said in an interview that the FAZ was alive to the debate and its responsibilities but that the matter was multifaceted and would have to come-up before the executive.
“We understand the talk and why it is on. We wanted to qualify to the Africa Cup and the coach was told to do so but we can not rush into decisions. There are several issues to look at first. We are sorry to the country over the failure,” he said.
Vandenbroeck was handed a contract in July last year but FAZ remained coy on the length of the contract only telling the media that the Belgian was tasked to qualify the team to the 2019 Africa and the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
After Zambia’s failure to qualify to the 2019 Africa Cup to be hosted in Cameroon, various quotas have called for his sacking.
Sports Minister Moses Mawere said earlier in the week that it was not Government’s call to decide on Vandenbroeck but FAZ with whom he has a contract.
The coach himself has admitted the failure to qualify may have consequences but asked to be kept as he believed he could actualise the potential the Chipolopolo with an extended stay.
Mweemba said that the FAZ was now concentrating on the regional COSAFA under-20 tournament and that the issue of the coach could be raise either during the two-week tournament or just after.
“We will have to review his contract. We have to see what has happened and decide whether to continue with him or not. We shall keep the nation posted on this but for now, we can concentrate of the under-20 tournament,” he said.
He added that the failure to qualify should not be seen as the end of the road by instead as a chance rebuild and come up with a plan for future engagements.