From GWEN CHIPASULA In Windhoek, Namibia –
COUNCIL of Southern African Football Association (COSAFA) president Suketu Patel has urged Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) president Andrew Kamanga and his predecessor Kalusha Bwalya to put their personal differences aside.
Patel, who described Kamanga and Kalusha as his friends, said there was need for the two to work together for the good of Zambian football.
Kamanga last week said his personal relationship with Kalusha, whom he ousted from office, was bad.
But Patel said in an interview here that he will do his best to see to it that Kalusha and Kamanga put their differences aside and work together for the betterment of Zambian football.
“Both of them are my friends and I will do everything possible to bring them together because it is not about the individuals but about Zambian football. If both of them love Zambian football then they need to rise above their personal feelings and concentrate on developing the game,” he said.
Patel added that both Kalusha and Kamanga have values they add to the game describing Kalusha as an icon and Kamanga as the choice for the position of FAZ president.
He said the two have to acknowledge the positions they hold in Zambian football by getting to work together for the good of the game as fighting each other will have an adverse effect on the game.
Patel advised Kamanga to remain focused on developing football, adding that there was no doubt that Zambia remains a football powerhouse in the region.
Meanwhile, Swaziland coach Harries Bulunga has said the Chipolopolo should not despair because every team goes through a slump.
Bulunga, who described Zambia as a great footballing nation, said the team should not get de-motivated because every team goes through a bad patch but what would matter would be how well a team recovers from that fall.
Zambia failed to qualify for the Gabon 2017 Africa Cup of Nations finals and was eliminated at quarterfinal stage by Swaziland at the weekend after losing 4-2 on post match penalties at the ongoing COSAFA Castle Cup tournament in Namibia.
He hailed the move by the Chipolopolo technical bench to incorporate young players into the team saying it is a step in the right direction in rebuilding a team that needs some fresh blood.
Bulunga said in an interview here that bringing in a youthful side to take part in such a tournament is commendable for Zambia but the players need to quickly recover and concentrate on upcoming matches.
“I highly commend them (coaches) for brining in young players because no matter how good you are, age always catches up with you, so it is good to plan for the future,” he said.