CONGRATULATIONS to the Chipolopolo for labouring to beat Namibia on post match penalties to qualify to the final round of the Rwanda 2016 African Nations Championship (CHAN) qualifiers.
Coach George ‘Chicken’ Lwandamina and his group must realise that a hard encounter against Mozambique awaits them and there is need to seriously work hard to qualify to the finals.
However, I will not dwell much on that but to accommodate an email I received from an ardent reader of the column, Mpongwe Nsama, who had this to say concerning last week’s column titled ‘Chisamba Lungu’.  And he writes….
I read with interest your article on Chisamba Lungu. I must first admit that this is one issue which cannot be settled in a single discussion that is if at all, it can be settled even after a hundred discussions.
Simataa Simataa may be right at the same time he may be wrong. He is a coach and a football administrator and how often has he shared the reasons for his decisions with us as an administrator/coach.
Ask Jose Mourinho, Fabio Capello the same question, they will most likely give you the same vague answers.
The only thing you can say is take your chance as a coach. If you win you will be a hero, if you lose then you are a villain. All the players want to play.
Ask Steven Gerald at Liverpool, Lucas Podolski at Arsenal, Petr Cech at Chelsea now at Arsenal.
These are players who have changed clubs because they could not be assured of play time.
Again take the example of Chris Katongo. Everyone called him names, but immediately we were not wining everyone started asking why you leave him out and it is the same story with Collins Mbesuma.
What was the outcome of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) finals held in South Africa where we went as defending champions with the same team which won the previous tournament,-a disaster.
Similar to the coaches, Herve Renard came and every expert called him a physical/futsal trainer. He won the tournament and became a hero.
After the AFCON disaster, everyone called him a fluke.
Again the man has gone and proved his credentials elsewhere. A coach must be prepared to make decisions even the unpopular ones. If the team wins then he will claim they played according to instructions and if they lose, then the team didn’t play according to instruction.
Players must as well be ready to sit on the bench. Yes the coaches might make a mistake, but who doesn’t make mistakes. I can go on and on but for now regards.
Thanks Nsama for your email and remember to send those thoughts to eliaschipepo@gmail.com or elias.chipepo@times.co.za.
Have a lovely sporting weekend and wishing the Under-20 women team all the best of luck against Tanzania tomorrow.