• FORMER Chipolopolo captain Christopher Katongo gives  a motivational talk to upcoming players during the Samsung Dream Camp held at the Olympic Youth Development Centre (OYDC) yesterday. Picture by SANDRA MWILA.

By SANDRA MWILA and GWEN CHIPASULA –

FORMER Chipolopolo captain Katongo says he has not lost hope of playing for the Chipolopolo.
Katongo was left out of the Chipolopolo squad currently taking at the on-going 2015 AFCON finals in Equatorial Guinea by coach Honour Janza following a fallout during the qualifiers.
But Katongo said he still has the energy to play at the highest level and was eyeing playing for the Chipolopolo at the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) finals.
The 2012 BBC African Footballer-of-the-Year said he will continue working hard to ensure he earns a place at the 2017 AFCON tournament whose host is yet to be named.
“I am still a national team player and I have the energy, maybe in 2017 I can come back and represent my country. I am still a professional footballer and have not yet retired,” he said.
Katongo said this yesterday at the Olympic Youth Development Centre (OYDC) when he gave a motivational talk to upcoming footballers who were attending a Samsung Dream Camp under the theme ‘‘I see your Dreams’.
He said he has not lost hope for a recall to the Chipolopolo and that the coach had his own reasons for leaving him out of the team but that he believes he did it for the best interest of the country.
“I don’t want to say much on why the coach left me out for the 2015 AFCON squad but I believe he is the coach and had to do what best for the country,” he said.
Meanwhile, Katongo has urged the young players to be disciplined and work hard to achieve their dreams of becoming heroes.
Katongo, the 2012 AFCON winning captain, said for a player to be successful in their career they needed to sacrifice, work hard and put God first in whatever they do.
“I am a hero of this country because I sacrificed, from the time I started my football career till today. I would advise you to also concentrate on your education it are very important, I completed my secondary school and I have managed to be a successful footballer,” he said.
Samsung, who are one of the official sponsors of the 2015 AFCON finals, organised the Dream Camp to provide an opportunity for young soccer enthusiasts to train with professional soccer coaches and spend a day with Katongo.
Katongo shared with the players his experiences of having played for the national team including Zambia’s AFCON historic in 2012.