• Kambwili
By FELIX MALUNGA and MOSES CHIMFWEMBE –
SPORTS Minister, Chishimba Kambwili has said there is nothing wrong with the appointment of Chintu Kampamba as assistant to Chipolopolo coach, Patrice Beaumelle.
Reacting to concerns raised by some of the stakeholders concerning Kampamba taking up a senior national team portfolio, Kambwili said Beaumelle was right to pick his own assistant as it was a standard
practice across the globe.
The minister said in an interview in Luanshya yesterday that Beaumelle needed to select an assistant whom he would be comfortable to work with.
Kambwili also said it was pleasing to see youthful coaches like Kampamba being accorded rare opportunities to be exposed at a high level of international football.
Last week, the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) announced the appointment of Kampamba as the senior national team’s assistant coach.
FAZ also gave Kampamba, an assistant trainer at Kabwe Warriors, another duty as one of the two deputies to Fighton Simukonda at the Under-23 national team. Power Dynamos coach, Tenant Chilumba is another assistant at the Under-23 while Beaumelle will also be overseeing the activities of all national teams whenever called upon.
Meanwhile, the Zambia Football Coaches Association (ZAFCA) vice president, Lewis Shambulo has tipped local coaches to positively contribute towards the development of the sport because of various
trainings they have undergone.
Shambulo said in an interview that the quality of coaching in the country had improved tremendously in the past few year’s, a trend he said was a positive indication of successful future prospects.
He noted that the ongoing CAF A coaching license course in Lusaka would greatly contribute to the output of coaches.
Shambulo said ZAFCA was happy with the interest shown by coaches in the country to upgrade their qualifications adding that Zambia was poised to produce coaches that would meet the demands of the football market.
The ZAFCA vice president commended the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) for conducting the CAF A coaching course which he said would put Zambian coaches in contention for top jobs on the continent.
“Our local coaches have done tremendously well over the years and we are very confident that they will be a force to reckon with in the near future. They have the potential to match any other coach across
the world and we would like to thank FAZ to conducting coaching clinics because we feel this is the only as coaches we will attain necessary skills for the job. Above all, we are headed in a positive direction,” he said.
