By NDINAWE SIMPELWE –
ZAMBIAN football legends have paid glowing tribute to the late former national team coach Ante Buselic who died in Croatia.
Buselic coached Zambia from 1971 to 1976 and qualified the team to its first Africa Cup tournament in 1974 where the team reached the final but lost to Zaire, currently known as Democratic Republic of Congo.
It has been learnt that Buselic, 87, died last month after a long illness and is survived by a wife and two daughters.
The 1974 Africa Cup final remains the only final to have been played over two legs and the same year Buselic oversaw a Zambian team finish third in line for a World Cup qualification where only one African team was picked.
In remembering the coach, Dickson Makwaza, who was the first captain under the Croatian, said Zambian football history could not be written without the mention of Buselic.
Makwaza said his dedication and seriousness towards work could not be compared to any coach Zambia has ever had.
“I worked with him closely. When he came in Zambia I was the captain and I remember how dedicated and serious he was with his work. It is sad that we have lost him. He should be remembered that he was the first man to take us to the Africa Cup,” Makwaza said.
Former FAZ president Tom Mtine said Buselic helped shape Zambian football destiny because of his contribution to the sport.
Mtine said Buselic was an understanding coach and never looked down on any player or official regardless of their status.
“He did a lot for Zambian football. He was one coach who did not listen to only one group of people but listened to every advice. He was dedicated to helping Zambian football develop and he was always understanding,” he said.
He said Buselic was the one that pushed Zambia to the top in football and helped in shaping the destiny of Zambia football.
“We will mourn him and will never forget his contribution,” Mtine said.
Another former FAZ president Julius Sakala said Buselic loved Zambia and was always ready to come back to help anyway he could.
Sakala said Buselic was more than a coach to him as he was also a family friend and that his death was a sad moment for him.
He said he was always in touch with him and when he requested that he comes back to Zambia for a fourth time to help Ndola United, his doctor advised him to avoid travelling because of his failing health.
“He was humble and I remember how I worked with Gen Chinkuli when he came to Zambia as we looked for his accommodation. His love for Zambia was huge and was ready to assist any time even at short notice,” Sakala said.
Apart from helping Zambia establish itself as a footballing nation, Buselic returned to Zambia twice in the early 80s to shape up the national team and also between 2002 and 2009 he returned to help Ndola United from relegation to division two.
Fred Mwila senior also express sadness on the death of the Buselic saying the coach was the one who stabilized the national team.
“At the time he came a lot of coaches had passed through the national team but his arrival helped us stabilize become established,” he said.
Former FAZ executive member Henschel Chitembeya implored FAZ, Ndola United and government to send a message of condolence to the Croatian government on Buselic for his contribution to Zambian football.