Zambia’s road to the 2010 World Cup begins in round one pool qualifiers in Group 12 where they have a grudge meeting awaiting against 2006 World cup finalists Togo.
Coach Patrick Phiri says Togo will be the hardest team to beat in the four-nation group thanks to their recent World Cup experience.
Swaziland and Eritrea complete Group 12.
“They (Togo) have the World Cup experience and will be the strongest team but we just have to work hard because am sure they have done their homework after taking part in the finals last year,” Phiri said Sunday evening after receiving the draws.
Togo won Group 1 in the last qualifiers for the Germany finals ahead of second place finishers Senegal and number 3 team Zambia.
On their way to the Germany tournament, Togo beat Zambia 4-1 in the final Group 1 return leg between the two nations in Lome after losing 1-0 in the first leg in Lusaka.
Meanwhile there will be a first ever meeting between Zambia and Eritrea at senior level.
Swaziland and Zambia will finally meet in a World Cup qualifier after previous clashes in Africa Cup qualifiers and Cosafa Castle Cup outings.
Phiri was cautious and warned against complacency with the other two nations.
“We can only lose if we underrate them (Eritrea and Swaziland),” Phiri said.
“The most important thing is we work hard and prepare well.”
Match dates are yet o be advised by CAF.
Not a bad draw for us, if we prepare well not the maga-maga type of preps we always have, we will only have to deal with a determined Togo team and dispose of swazis and eritrea.But again I’m afraid of our preps which are always very poor.Lets get a good coach first, If I were FAZ I would go for Kalu+phiri+lwandimina now.Kalu can take leave from his veep job and concentrate on our boys for 2010.Oh… I’m dreaming again.
This is the best group for Zambia. What is needed is to take each game seriously and whip Eritrea and Swaziland by wide margins so that in case of slip ups we still qualify to next round as best runners up. This is the time to look at hiring an expatriate coach to be assisted by a capable local coach
#2 you’re right also taking into consideration Togo will not be playing their home fixtures in lome or anywhere in Togo,but will be played at a neutral venue following what happened in lome after recent crowd violence against Mali.Zambia can take this as a plus
#2 thank you also Togo will play home fixtures at a nuetral venue,but in Lome or within Togo folowing recent crowd violence against Mali, Zambia can take this as a plus
With due respect to Mr Kalusha Bwalya, I do not think he will be an idea coach for Zambia as he is a very busy man. He is tied up with other responsibilities in Faz, SSport etc, Fifa etc. The best we can do is hire an expatriate coach to work with Phiri and Lwandamina. But most importantly is to prepare the team adequately and play quality friendlies and FAZ should call professionals for these matches. Also talented U-20 should be introduced into the senior team to gel with the senior players.
I do not what the discusion is about or am lost. These 12 goups is the second round of qualification. The 12 winners of these groups plus the 8 best runners up wil be drawn into 5 groups of the final round of which the top five from each group will qualify. SA qualify for the world cup but need to be number 3 in the fianl round in order to make it to the African Nations cup in Angola. My hope is that we progres and then draw SA in the final round, then we will be there SA2010. Togo are rubbish
#5 WHY DO WE HAVE TO TALK ALL THE TIME ABOUT EXPATRIATE COACH BLA BLA, IT IS UP TO OURSELVES TO MAKE THINGS WORK. I MEAN IF YOUR FATHER CAN NOT PROVIDE FOR U, DO YOU HAVE TO SEEK HELP FROM ABROAD, TAKWABA, WISO MUST FINDOUT CHAPWA, ZOOM TOOK ZED TO THE OPLYMPICS, WAS HE AN EXPATRIATE?? ANSWER ME. BA SO CALLED EXPONONO JUST EAT OUR MONEY CHAPWA SO MUNE YOUR ADVISE IS RUBBISHN. NISHAN KANSHI KUTI NELYO TWAPOKA UBUNTUNGWA TATU MONA. TAKWABA BANE
#7 You are rather rude in your comments, dont take things personal. Everyone is entitled to his opinion. Doesnt mean that what you say holds any water. Look at African countries that are doing well, they have got good European coaches.
An expatriate coach is required to work with the local coach if we are to have good results. Look at how Zambia performed under Ian Potterfield and Mr Poulsen. All we need to have are the right people. Not someone like Bukhard Ziese.
Justice #7 i would like to agree with Billy for the World Cup qualifiers we certainly need an Expatriate Coach to work with Patrick Phiri. P.P is a good Coach but i think he lacks the Technical know how of the game at the highest Level.Apart from Angola all the African Countries that have qualified for the World Cup and gone to the next round have had a foreign coach.We not trying to look down on our own but lets face the truth if we get a GOOD Exp. Coach it will be for the good of our game.
Im a proud Zambian, optimistic and real. We can definately top this group but I dont think we have what it takes to reach the finals in SA. Expatriate coaches won’t perform that miracle. We still have a lot of ground work to do before even thinking of reaching the finals. We have no stadia to start with, no training facilities, very poor funding, no base to draw players from, our leagues are just pathetic. Can anyone at the moment tell me even one Zambian player making headlines????
Can someone teach me some more, when we are done with Togo who seem to be the only threat, what’s next. Because i am meant to believe that round one is just the preliminaries to the actual grouping which will finally see the best for the world cup; the second and third for the AFCON in Angola.
Someone to hola back
Guys let us respect each other. No ones’s comment is 100% correct. If you feel Zambia does not need an expat coach, just support your reasoning with facts like Sibs put up his stats that majority of African countries who have qualified to WC before were under foreign coaches. Iam for an expat coach for WC 2010 qualifiers.
We have the talent but it till needs to be polished. Untill all these basics are in place, our cry in Zed will always be the same, year in year out. GRZ and FAZ and all coperating partners have to work together to archieve this goal.
the pressure on a zambian to coach zambia is immense. let’s not say we don’t need help and expertise. even england need that if they admit it. togo will not be a push over despite not playing at home, they will be even more determined, the team must prepare to take on who ever stands in it’s way now! the team needs to believe they beat anyone, the road to world cup is a long one.
I have faith in P P so if we give him support i dont see him failling to bring our boys to RSA for the 2010 WC.He can be supported by two technical guys expatriates if you want but our Patrick Phiri should be in charge
I dont see any logic in #7. Of all the comments posted only number 7 sounds like he is just woken up from the dead. Outbursts will not help you in anyway be wise and get a life dude. Just express your opinion and stop sounding like yours is better.
I its time we developed our own crop of trained local coaches. We have the ability to do well with a local coach only if they could be given a chance to receive proper training like the so much talked about foreign coaches receive before they embark on getting coaching jobs in our countries for which we pay them astronomical salaries. With proper planning, these huge salaries could be spent on training our local coaches. Remember what Alex Chola and Godfrey Chitalu almost achieved.
Patrick Phiri is a good coach for as long Faz does not disturb him. Let us give Phiri a chance to lead the team to S.A 2010.
What are these tantrums #7 is bringing here the truth is that right and/or good expatriate coach is required plus adequate preparation and not trials with bearly one month in between, so we need proper remedy to this and not tantrums #7 is bringing,you don’t need to be sarcastic for us to understand you if #7 whats sarcasm we will reduce him to dust and will not amount to a footnote as far as this blog is concerned.
I see that someone from Faz replied to some guys comments on the other posting on the blog,Check’Grandstand:A view from Dar’.At least now we know that some people from Faz is reading people’s concerns.This for me is good to get some feedback i salute the courage of that person we don’t need to know your name.I just hope its not an impostor, you never know we have had some strange characters on this blog.
Anyway guys don’t mind him (#7) he’s one of those poeple from this tribe who die in large numbers in rainy season.
You Zambians need to learn from me. You must empower your own.Unless you want a chinese coach.i can organise for you.
I see if it was’nt for that chinese medicine you (#23) would have died from those anal fissures,Anyway thanks, but we don’t need one may be try to organise one for ba wiso
well seen Sibs. if it’s true, it’s good to see that faz will stick up for itself. of course, faz itself has a huge roll to play in the success of the teams over these next two years… i think pp has done well, i would like to see him stay on after ghana, but i think the need to be progressing further is crucial. the combination of pp and a foreign coach, he doesn’t need to be the biggest name…
Lothar Matheaus or Israeli Eyal Lachman are the best candidates to take us to 2010. Zambian talent like Mbesuma, Katongo, Jacob Mulenaga are precious. Not any Jim and Jack should be allowed to handle them.
#8 mune just what is your mission, ulemona kwati kuti wateka zed iwe chikala, think twice tapali ifwyo li in as far as zed football is, atase iwe, u know what some of us have been in this game before u were born, RESPECT MWAICHE
How are my brothers in Zed. I’m just relaxing this time around over a glass of wine and just come across this blog. In Zambia we need first of all a handsome looking coach with good clothing manners and one who can speak nicely, That can give some morale to the boyz as well as to the fans- especially gals you know… not those coaches like Lwandamana and Patric Piri, bad looks and no vibing skills!
utter nosense!! whaz this shit yo?
# 28 Satistee, I have been waiting for people with smart minds come over and preach to these mpombo. The trend nowadays is “appearance” and vocal… MEDIA. Actually physical appearance influences character. Wedson Nyerenda started dressing good, thats why Zesco is boooming! Even some of our players… mamama. Do you want me to count for you, from coach Jose to players like Fabrigas?
think it is about tym our coach stopped behaving like a mad scientist.I simply mean stop using different players everytym we have a game and hey!!!!!!Think about proper preparations for the team next tym,don´t go play teams like Tz of all teams in the world.
ya,dispite all the hopes that soccer loving zambians may have,Zambia still faces a host stadium turmoil,any feed backs on this issue?There is the coach issue that should be sewriously looked into too
Zoom took zed to the olympics and we did well, go on u tube and watch Zed Vs Italy yali ni bola
We could also tyr out zachariah simukonda and philemon chipeta he’s been top scorer in malaysia for two seasons what do you think.
#33 Justice matha faka wabe tole kwikoshi chikala cha wiso. Who do you think you are pumbafu iwe watomba noko. Stanyoko uaimona sana chikala niwebo toliet boy uko ku shangombo. Amabolo you ass licking hyena. Chikala you are living in the past wake. Which coach in Zambia right now can take us to 2010. Wabe bolo chikala.
#35 anonymous you are a fool. we are enjoying the topic you bring your tantrums is it that you suffer from introjected anal tendencies, defensive heterosexual ambivalence, defensive masturbatory sensations. calling you stupid would be an insult to stupid people. don’t you have terrible empty feelings in your skull. You know what i think you need a licence to be that UGLY,becuase everyone of has right to be ugly you’ve abused it. so learn talk the topic at hand or u will be reduced to dust.
First things we need to do to get things right with our game.
1. Get rid of Kaumba and Patrick Phiri, no new wine in old skins, not compatible even Jesus said.
2.Do not lose the talent and work that has gone into the George Lwandamina U20 World Cup team. Nature them and develop a stronger U23 team that come 2010 will graduate to the national team.
3. Stop general experimenting, start a systematic building of the team, by keeping what we identify, developing those with potential and sharpening
Cont…those with blunt skills.
4. Hire an expatriate coach, let the Zambian coaches prove themselves elsewhere before we can consider them. Let us hire a person with the skills to take us to Zambia not based on sentimental Zambian feelings.
5. Get rid of the current FAZ administration, they spend so much time arguing rather than designing training programs for the teams.
6. Make a calender this year and send requests for friendly games on FIFA dates in 2008, 2009 & 2010. Add the rest to the lis
did jesus say get rid of kaumba and patrick phiri. thanks #37 i did know that, if that’s the case let us obey at once.
#39 You missed the point. The point is the, “Do not put new wine in old skins or else the old skin will burst.” Translate that in relation to Kaumba and Phiri.
By the way, point number 4 should read. Let us hire a person with the skill to take Zambian to world cup 2010 not based on sentimental Zambian feelings.
By the way, point number 4 should read. Let us hire a person with the skill to take Zambia to world cup 2010 not based on sentimental Zambian feelings.
Iwe chikala anonymous #35,what did Justice wrong by saying that Zoom took zed to the olympics and we did well,i dont know iwe chikala nga walikwata brain muci mutwe cobe,never put yo frustrations on innocent pipo iwe chikala cha wiso naiwe wine pumbafu nyangala kata konto,waipwila umulilo pamolu mambala.
chikala anonymous (#35)i think your mother has a loud bark, by the way how did you find yourself here? Did someone leave your cage open
Honestly speaking, there is a lot that needs to be done for Zambian soccer to reach respectable standards and following are just some of them:
1. The local league to get enough sponsored to make it stronger and financially viable.
2. With a strong league, we will be able to export more quality players to europe and further make our national team
3. Lets get quality administrators to run our soccer. People who can entice more sponsors and run the league professionally.
4. Devise a method of training coaches so that they become more knowledgeable and get rid of their inferiority complex which they always expose when we play countries which are more economically affluent.
5. With a powerful local league, more sponsors are likely to come on board.
6. Incalcate a winning mentality in the Zambian players
We are understand that people have different opinions but insults do not form part of opinions in civilised societies.
Lets differ on opinions but still lets not resort to insults.
Lets not lower the level of discussion here.
This is just a plea.
#47 should have read
We understand that people have different opinions but insults do not form part of opinions in civilised societies.
Lets differ on opinions but still lets not resort to insults.
Lets not lower the level of discussion here.
This is just a plea.
#43 & #44, mwatomba banyinenwe. Do you have heamorroids bafikala. Matha fakas.
Anonymous/35. You are back at it again you fish smelling swine. is it because your unwashed,itchy ass has been troubling you? What has Justice done for you to use your dirty language which is definitely part of your personality. I blame your mother and father for your traits. You are exactly like them (carbon copy) stanyoko!! I warn you to desist from linching at anyone like that. You smelly mouthed bastard! Mwana wa muchigololo iwe. if you are still selling inkumba in Chibolya, dont blame/33
#49 anonymous,banoko tabalowa thats why wabela umungulu noko ichinyo,malekete ya noko noushisekelemo…
#50 and #51,banyinenwe tabalowa thats why mwabela umungulu noko ichinyo,malekete ya noko noushisekelemo
mwaba amakutu bafikala
Bakapoli amatole
mwaba amafi mukanwa
Mwebanwe misu shabawishiwenu ati juice, bafikala
Iwe chikala anonymous waba akala ubuche ulimbushi sana
munoshi wa kwanoko umwebe noko ati shaise anshike apanono
Anonymous/35. I’m now begining to believe that you suffer from a serious intermittent Explosive disorder or Schizotypal personality disorder characterised by odd beliefs, magical thinking that influences your peculiar behavour and vocabulary. You are advised to seek psychiatric services with immediate effect and never return to this blog until you’re certified fit.As for your ugliness, i’m afraid there is nothing we can do!!
Please bloggers respect this blog and stop insulting each other. You are just tarnishing the image of Zambians in general and this blog in particular. Remember this is a website accessible worldwide. If this trend continues, we might be forced to suspend the blogging services on our website. I trust on you guys that you will accommodate our plea. Thank you.
#52-56,Anonymous is the kind of a man that you would use as a blue print to build an *****. Infact anonymous is not stupid; he possesed by a retarded ghost.ANONYMOUS are your parent siblings?. Have you considered suing your brain for support? becuase you a mind like a steel trap-always closed
Anonymous/35 enjoys this ‘game’ of insults. That’s the only thing his poor late father taught him before he died after a crocdile bite on his smelly bottom. Everyone can see, this is the only thing you do best chikala cha wiso – satan-nock-on-you!
Anonymous came up we are still descending on you.
ANONYMOUS IS A LIVING PROOF THAT MAN IS ABLE TO LIVE WITHOUT A BRAIN
Anonymous as an unknown entity, what do you think of the human race?
I dont give a shit about all you matha fakas. I have put across my message to you all crapped people on this blog. You will never hear from me again,You are all full of shit aaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
Guys champwa ama Insults naimwe Please,like Billy # 7 says we all entitled to have our own opinions but lets respect each other.Twa sebana, now the The Editor of Lusaka Times is making an appeal of the same.
#66 message monitored now stand down rodger over.
#65 anonymous,you ve amazed me with the degree of foolishness you seem to posses,i wont insult you this time for the sake of the Lusaka Times Editors,but you shuld know that you are a great DISASTER to yourself,uwakutipa alifya coz if he is alive he wuld have reversed the Curse…
Anonymous#65 has vanished back to out of space where he (creature) came from. Thank you for heeding medical advice and I’m glad he will never return. Lets all go back to some serious busness…
You know guys (roy and molakisi,Malawi). This same guy called anonymous had a brain transplant that took 18hrs, but the brain rejected him.
Where is our pride as Zambians when we insult each other like fools? Brothers and sisters, let us show the world that Zambians are morally sound. Our pride is our future.
The blog is intended for ideas that people we critisize can look at and say maybe I need to try what this gentleman is saying but if what you contribute is all insults,what will make Teddy Mulonga or Patrick Phiri log onto the blog?We are not offering an constructive critism.Grow up bloggers.
Having read the insults that have been written on this blog, I can safely say that for the first time in my life I feel ashamed to be Zambian.
Yes although not all Zambians insult, this blog represents Zambia and the number of insults being paraded here make Kaponyas, Kabovas, Ng’wang’wazis and Eagle-eagles sound like amatuers at the game of insulting.
One wonders, why people waste their precious time in bring out unprintables.
Kemps-Mwape Mwelwa# 73, you are a big fool!!
I will not check this blog again, so don’t waste your time replying. Nayaa…
#75 Dida
May God bless you and enjoy your day.
#74 Dida
May God bless you and enjoy your day.
wow, this has to be the most heated blog I’ve ever read. i don’t know what possessed anonymous to go after #33 like that but it sure sparked it off in a different direction. great read, thanks guys.