Zambia coach Patrick Phiri has opted to wait until the January 10 Africa Cup final team list deadline for submissions before making a decision on whether to drop ailing players Andrew Sinkala and Moses Sichone.
Phiri said from Spain today that he would also visit the 2.Bundesliga-based players in the coming days to ascertain their fitness first hand ahead the January 10 deadline.
Sichone and Sinkala have been missing from the Zambia training camp due to injury and illness respectively.
Sinkala, midfielder of 2.Bundesliga team Paderborn has suspected malaria while defender Sichone has a rib injury.
And Striker Collins Mbesuma will join the team tomorrow in France en route to Tunisia after a delay in joining the team due to Visa problems at the Spanish embassy in Ankara.
Mbeusma will finally join the team in Paris on their way to play Tunisia in a friendly match on January 6.
“There has been a change of plans and Collin’s Mbesuma will meet us in France on our way to Tunisia after having Visa problems at the Spanish embassy in Ankara,” team manger Solly Pandor said from Spain.
Pandor also revealed that no-show defender Elijah Tana, Pandor was expected join the team in Tunisia shortly.
Tana meanwhile is still in Zambia.
Pandor said Zambia wrap-up its eight-day training camp in Jerez, Spain on Wednesday before heading down to North Africa namely Tunisia and later Morocco to play another friendly on the 12th.
While in Spain for the week, Zambia played one friendly match against the Andalusia regional national team on December 27 who beat Phiri’s team 4-1 in Jerez.
And in other related news, ex-Zambia and Namibia head Coach Ben Bamfuchile was put to rest yesterday at Chamboli Cemetery in Kitwe.
Thousands of mourners braved the rains to pay their last respects to Bamfuchile who died on December 27 in Kitwe after a long illness.
Honestly, these preparations are laughable. 4 key players are not even with the team: Sinkala, Sichone, Tana and Mbesuma. Excuses are for loosers. Like everything else in Zambia, if the men of FAZ weree interested in their country instead of themselves, Zambia would have been a lot further in the soccer world.
Well I think most teams still don’t have their pros in. Watching the Premier League yesterday, I noticed all African players were still Playing for their clubs..so wouldn’t crucify the team over that point. It good that players have even started making their way to the team
Sick and injured players need to be excused. Andrew has been sick for a while and it will be unfair to play a player who has just recovered after being sick for a long time. Let injured or sick players not play at CAN 2008. No excuses Patrick you need to deliver. Make a decision and try other players. The Germany duo will not be there forever afterall they are not always playing at the squad. We need the cup here this is your target Patrick, NO EXCUSES THIS TIME.
Mr PP, please replace Sinkala with Noah Chivuta of Bidvest Wits , SA. The guy has been in-form recently. Even if Sinkala recovers, he will not be as fit as we know him as he has not been playing for his team for sometime. It will take time for him to gain high fitness levels.
Otherwise Zambia has done well to start preparations earlier than most teams for Ghana. Bafana players are only reporting on 5 Jan to start preparing for Ghana and so are most teams.
I support you Billy. It beats why PP decided to call Clifford ahead of Chivuta when it is clear that Chivuta is in top form. I wonder if the coach receives proper updates on the players’forms.
I am not saying Clifford is a bad player but definitely is not better than Chivuta and now that Andrew looks unlikely to make the team, let PP call Chivuta
Games are won if the following conditions are met.
1.Conditioning of players must be excellent that ensures edurance.
2.Tactical descipline the departments must operate as units especially defence and midfield.
3.Skill the difference between a win and a loss for evenly matched teams is the skill of mostly the strikers.
4.Mental preparedness tournaments can be taxing and frustrating players need mental stamininal to cope.
5.motivtion should be clearly spelt out for each category of players
How can we rely on an unfit player to battle against a fit mbami of cameroun in the midfield or an inured sichone for a fit Eto.that is surely a gumble from mr PP which as a soccer fan i would also risk not to take.Tana should be flown as soon as possible and chivuta of wits should be considred.The question is hw can this be done? we need someone in midfied currently ticking at club level and chivuta is one such.plz mr pp Give the boy a try again, he mighty be just handy for us.
Billy, right on man, I couldn’t have said it any better than that. Really,there is no need for Phiri to wait for Jan 10th, the player is sick and been out of action for a while, it’s not like he’s playing games now and might be fit by Jan 10. Malaria lives you weak, he needs time to recover and regain his strength. Chivuta will make a good replacement for him, he has a physical presence that can slow down Cameroon otherwise Eto will be running through the park like a kangaroo
It s good bloggers have a solution. Call Chivuta to replace Sinkala now and another midfielder in place of Sichone. We already have enough defenders. Flew Tana now. It is that simple isn’t it. Why 10 Jan?
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Thanks BuzzEd my brother.
Thanks BuzzEd and Kemps men.
Thanks BuzzEd and Kemps men.
Thanks BuzzEd and Kemps.
Guys ignore the repetitions. You know how it is.