By SANDRA MWILA –

CHRISTOPHER Munthali has apologised to both Power Dynamos and Nkana for his double dealings that landed him a two-month ban.

Munthali said in an interview yesterday that he regrets the mess he has caused between the two Kitwe sides.

The Chipolopolo defender said he has learnt a lesson from the ban slapped on him by the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) Player’s Status Committee.

“I would like to apologise to both Power and Nkana for the mess I created, I have learnt a lesson from the two-month ban and I will be more careful next time,” said a remorseful Munthali.

Munthali also thanked the Players Status Committee for the leniency exercised on him, adding that such an incident will never repeat itself.

“The two-month ban was fair and I can’t even complain because I feel they were lenient on me. I am aware I could have been banned for a year in other countries,” said Munthali who was named Power 2015 Player-of-the-Year.

He said that he was willing to play for any of the two clubs depending on how the negotiations will go.

Munthali was found guilty by the Players Status Committee for double-dealing after signing with Nkana when he had a contract with Power that expires on December 31, 2016.

Nkana were fined K10, 000 while Munthali was ordered to return to Power when his two-month ban ends on April 10.

Meanwhile, ex-KK11 captain Dickson Makwaza said the ban on Munthali was harsh and it will be a blow for the Chipolopolo who will have to do without him for the Gabon 2017 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) back-to-back qualifiers against Congo Brazzaville.

Makwaza said in an interview that the best the Players Status Committee should have done was to offer counsel to the player.

“In my view the two months ban on Munthali was too harsh, the best they could have done would have been to offer advice to the player. At the level Munthali has reached, he is an asset to the national team and missing his services for the AFCON qualifiers will be a blow,” he said.

But Football administrator Henschel Chitembeya said Munthali deserved more than a two months ban for his unprofessionalism.

Chitembeya said the committee was too lenient on the player who should have been slapped with at least a one -year ban.

“I feel they were too merciful on Munthali for he deserved nothing less than one year looking at the offence,” he said.

Chipolopolo Soccer Fans Association (CSFA) chairperson Yotam Mwanza said Nkana should be more professional in their transfer dealings.

Mwanza said Nkana were a big club and should revisit the manner in which they recruit players.

“Nkana should grow up, they are a big club and should be more professional. It is high time they revisited the way they recruit players,” Mwanza said.

He added that the ban was appropriate on the player and urged him to draw lessons from the episode.

Mwanza said players should consider having managers to help them deal with transfers to avoid such misunderstandings.