The Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) on Monday unveiled new national team coach Dario Bonetti and tasked him to win the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations billed for Equatorial Guinea and Gabon.
Speaking during the unveiling ceremony at Football House in Lusaka on Monday, FAZ president Kalusha Bwalya said the foundation has already been laid.
Bonetti’s backroom staff includes assistant coach Birindelli Alessandro, physical trainer Ruggiero Umberto, goalkeeper’s coach Bozzini Claudio and a Zambian Lucky Msiska who will be an assistant trainer.
“Zambia proved in Angola and our target in 2012 is to win the Africa Cup,” Kalusha said.
He said time is ripe for Zambia to reaffirm its status as on of the best on the continent.
“We want to be among the best teams in Africa and a powerhouse in the world. We are a potential future African giant. We have to open a new chapter at the 2012, 2013 Africa Cup of Nations and the 2014 World Cup,” Kalusha said.
[pullquote]“I have watched the matches Zambia played at the Africa Cup in Angola on DVD and I will make adjustments. Tactically, Zambia is very good but mentally the players are weak,” Bonetti said.[/pullquote]
He said the FAZ’s desire is to see Zambia in the top ten or in the top five of African football and in the top 50 on the FIFA/Coca-Cola rankings.
Kalusha said FAZ is confident that Bonetti and his staff will take Zambian football to a higher level.
He noted that Zambian football is improving following the break through of forwards Emmanuel Mayuka and Fwayo Tembo to the Swiss league.
Mayuka features for Young Boys while Tembo campaigns for FC Basel and both teams have qualified for the 2010/11 UEFA Champions League.
This, Kalusha, said will raise the profile of the Chipolopolo.
He said there will no much changes to the national team that managed a quarter-final berth at the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations in Angola.
Kalusha also commended the National Sports Council of Zambia, Minister of Sport Kenneth Chipungu, Government and President Banda for the support rendered the FAZ.
“We have worked well with our partners. We are asking for support from you (the media). This is your national team, we want honest, togetherness so that we succeed,” he said.
On Msiska joining the senior national team technical bench, Kalusha said there is need for the Chipolopolo and the Olympic team to be moving at the same level.
He also said Msiska’s attachment is to the technical bench is to build capacity in local coaches.
And Bonetti, 48, who has been engaged on a two-year contract, said he is happy to tutor the Zambian team.
He said the Chipolopolo have a bright future and will continue from where Frenchman Herve Renard left from.
Bonetti, who was speaking through an interpretor Mauro Sanna, said the future was in the hands of the players.
He said the Zambian team is tactically good but lacked the mental strength.
“I have watched the matches Zambia played at the Africa Cup in Angola on DVD and I will make adjustments. Tactically, Zambia is very good but mentally the players are weak,” Bonetti said.
He expressed confidence that the players will be mentally strong soon.
Asked to name some influential players in the Zambian team, the Italian said he likes to praise the whole team and not individual players.
Bonetti also said the gap between European teams and Africa has narrowed, an indication that African football is developing.
Bonetti is the 13th foreign coach to drill the Zambia national team.
Others are John Green, Ante Buselic, Brian Tylor, Wieslaw Growboski, Ted Dumitru and Ted Vibra.
The rest are Bill McGarry, Ian Porterfield, Roald Poulsen, Burkhard Ziese, Jan Brouwer and Herve Renard.
FAZ treasurer Boniface Mwamelo, executive committee members Lennie Nkhuwa, Keagan Chipango, Marcha Chilemena, FAZ acting general secretary Julio Chiluba, the association’s technical director Honour Janza, communications manager Erick Mwanza and Zambia Voluntary Soccer Fans Association patron Peter Makembo among others attended the briefing.
[ Zambia Daily mail ]
LOL that’s a very unrealistic goal. Semi final may be a decent target. Keepnon dreaming FAZ lol
“Kalusha said the FAZ’s desire is to see Zambia in the top ten or in the top five of African football and in the top 50 on the FIFA/Coca-Cola rankings.”
WTF??? why not top three of African football and top twenty on FIFA rankings? Seems you have no hope in yourself !
pipedream. were did kalu get this guy with a very bad history as coach. poor results and sackings. the dressing like a hippie
Good to hear great Kalu talking about winning the Afrika Cup and not mere qualification. Like #2, we should aim to be among the top-5, 20 in Afrika and the World respectively.We’ve been there before. Check your source Daily Mail, one of the foreign coachez waz not TED but Edward Vibra.
Just tell this guy to take Zambia to 2012 Afcon cup. What will happen there will be decided by God.
Chipolopolo, the same lofty targets and the same story BUT we “win” nothing. Well FAZ is beginning to look to me as a new vehicle for laundering our TAX, we the Tax payers Our Money. All because of greed by RB and Kalu.
Watch this space.
Ba Chipolopolo, the same lofty targets and the same story BUT we “win” nothing. Well FAZ is beginning to look to me as a new vehicle for laundering our TAX, we the Tax payers Our Money. All because of greed by RB and Kalu.
Watch this space.
Kalu never won any medals or major cap with Zambia as a player, captain, coach or even now as a president of FAZ; I wonder why he is passing the buck to someone else to do the job for him! Unless he coach Dario Bonetti can be given Zambian citizenship and he plays for Zambia (it has been done before re: Zola Budd- RSA to UK)! Anyway, most of Kalu’s contemporaries have established football academies in their home countries- maybe Kalu has one in RSA which he can use to help us win the African Cup of Nations! My foot!!
why do we look for foreign coaches so expensive for nothing? why Msiska is not atleat Assistant coach? Elolwanya nomba you have brought mafyas. But it is true zambian players lack mental force in football like Jacob Mulenga and Imonde:-?:-?:-?;););)
Hmmm……..Zambia is still hoping to compete in anything on the international scene? This is a laughable target.
The coach and technical team look to me from outside Zambia. Does FAZ have the cash to pay all these bills. Anyway, since Kalusha has connections this should not be a problem for him and his management to raise these funds for salaries. “Let’s wait and see” as our Father Dennis Liwewe used to say.
There’s no way this guy is going to turn into a miracle worker in Zambian football, overnight. Besides, unless unity and collective responsibility takes center stage at football house, we will also see the back of him like all the others.
Mark my words, guys, and put my name to this: Bonetti Will Score Big-Time For Zambia. He will literally bring the African Nations Cup to Zambia. Go! Go! Zambia, Go!
All these bloggers here, just start clearing your throats to sing “Nalelo twawina, iyee, Chipolopolo!”
Kalu-can he advise me why zambian players are being sold off on a black market? Anyone to advise on this blog?
Right now, Mbola’s fate is in the hands of the law-many contracts with one person. How about the talkative Sr Kalaba-who has made his boy languish in the gutters of kamwala. Kalu sold of Fyayo and Mayukwa dubiously,thats why he can praise himself after chewing the largest f of the cake. This guy thinks is indispensable.
I even wonder why announced Boneti while in RSA when fwe bene tatwa ishebe?
“Bonetti, who was speaking through an interpreter Mauro Sanna” This coach cannot speak English let alone obviously the local languages. How does he expect to communicate effectively with the players? I really do not see this guy and his backroom staff taking us anywhere! These Italian Mafias have come to plunder our resources. I am sure Zambia would have engaged a good Brazilian coach at a competitive prize!
I hope the contract is flexible enough to fire him in 2012 when he fails to attain the target. FAZ should learn from the FA in England, they failed to fire their Italian coach because of some ‘mafia’ lines in the contract.
Elo Bonneti pa Zed, is it not suggestive of something you open in front of those second hand cars. Segula bonneti uone engine! i hope taakwati imisango yakuisula ama bonneti
What is disturbing is the recruitment of this coach being linked to State House. Why the interest? Considering the huge amounts of public funds that will be paid to the four Italians, FAZ must pubish the results & criteria used to select the coach. Such transparency will reduce speculations that may arise when this guy fails to deliver.
We can do it as long as we play at our level best.I have hope that Zambia will win the Afcon cup.
We are 100% behind you Chipolopolo boys.UUUUUUUUUUUUURRRRRRRRRRRRROOOOOOOOOOOOOCCCCCCCCCCCKKKKKKKKKKKKK
We have to hope this decision will make zambia proud and the statement of us winning the Africa cup is positive but we need to start the necessary preparations and of course organising our house in order. Let those that are tasked to do certain tasks do without any interuption, we can surely achive. Zambia is a power in African football lets redeem our name this is our time, “chasika chindi”
Target for GRZ
1. Build modern stadia in Kitwe, Lusaka and Livingstone
2. Win 2012 Africa Cup
3. Qualify to the World Cup in 2016 in Brazil
Wonders shall never end, yet another novice, while other countries and busy looking for experience we are busy accepting those who are coming for “In Service Training
MB Kalu won so many meddles with the national squad. He won africa player of the year, he won the golden boot at 1996 africa cup, he won the silver meddle at the 1994 with the team he won the bronze meddle with the team at the 1996. What meddles have you won in your life. We must give credit where it is due, Kalu and Kaunda are the most famous Zambians. I f you happen to travell to other coutries like I do immediately someone realises you are from Zambia they ask you either about Kaunda or Kalu. Zambia is going backwards because we do not appreciate our human resource. Have you ever seen any documentary on TV about our legends like PK Chishala, Mwansa Kapwepwe, and many more. In other countries they create their own stars us we just know how to condemn. Kalusha is GREAT.
MB Y ou should appreciate what Kalu has done for this country. Where were you when ha made us recall the heros we lost in Gaborn. Where were you when he destroyed the Italian defence. Dont be like Mukonka who has a personal venderta with him. I dont want to go through what Dispora(no 23) talked about.The way MB thinks is more like a father who would not encourage his kids to come out best in class if he(MB) did not during his school days or if you are a certificate holder you dont expect your kids to go beyond. Wake MB, give credit where its due
bonetti doesnt know hw 2 speak english jst lik our players so who is going to translate in2 bemba??
sad comments from some people who claim to be zambians. what i hate is the fact that these are the same people who suddenly ‘rally’ behind zambia when THE TEAM wins. sad state of affairs abena zambia kwena
I wish all the best to the chipolopolo boys i know this time we are getting the Africa up Go Zambia GO Zambia for life
Zambia can do it cum 2012 we can wait to get the Africa cup