By SHAMAOMA MUSONDA –

.KAWRI

SOCCER fans have expressed worry over the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) decision to bring in Irfan Kawri as Chipolopolo assistant coach, days before the 2016 African Nations Championship (CHAN) insisting that, George ‘Chicken’ Lwandamina’s  role  is being undermined.
But the Zambia Football Coaches Association (ZAFCA) has welcomed the appointment of the Briton as stand-in Chipolopolo assistant coach and hoped that the new man’s role is to beef up the technical bench.
Chipolopolo Soccer Fans Association (CSFA) chairperson Yotham Mwanza said yesterday that it was time FAZ trusted Lwandamina to deliver and not always look to outsiders.
“FAZ should have confidence in ‘Chicken’. Like this, his position will be undermined.
In any case, does FAZ have money to pay a foreign coach? We all know of the mounting bills at Heroes and Levy Mwanawasa stadiums,” Mwanza said.
He said it was time the country invested in local coaches and that FAZ should have waited to see how Lwandamina would perform at the CHAN finals in Rwanda next year.
“Let’s hope that no confusions arise from this outing with this new coach,” Mwanza said.
His opposite number at Zambia Sports Fans Association (ZASPOFA) Peter Makembo described the news of bringing in another coach ahead of a major tournament as disturbing.
“We have many cases where this has brought problems. We all remember what happened when Hervé Renard was taken to Keagan Mumba’s Under-20.
They differed bitterly and we all know how bad the results were,” he said.
Makembo said the fans’ biggest fear was that the two coaches may differ in tactical approach and this would spell disaster for Zambia and that the timing was all wrong.
FAZ was just creating chance for a scapegoat in the event of another poor outing.
He said since this was a CHAN tournament the team was going to, it would be wise to take CHAN coaches also.
However, ZAFCA okayed the move saying it had no issues with the appointment of Kawri as long as it was meant to beef up the technical bench.
ZAFCA vice-president Lewis Shambulo said the association still insisted on having a local trainer to take up a full-time Chipolopolo job instead of relying on expatriates.
“We are happy with the appointment because he (Kawri) is coming to be an assistant coach. I want to believe he is just beefing up the technical bench and to help spy on the opposition teams at the African Nations Championship.
“We have always said that as ZAFCA, we want a local to become a head coach for the Chipolopolo. So we are happy that Kawri is coming in as an assistant coach because he is just beefing up the technical bench,” he said.
FAZ yesterday said Kawri, a former Zambia Under-20 player and assistant coach at Wigan, would assist Lwandamina at the CHAN tournament and would later review his position.
Shambulo said FAZ should be explicit in explaining the role of the Briton so that there could be harmony on the bench.