Wedson Nyirenda this about to find out whether he is currently the best coach in Zambia.
Nyirenda has risen to fame over the last four years after having won three successive league titles with two different clubs; two with Zesco United before going to Zanaco last season when he collected his third.
Domestically, he has gone some way in proving his worth which, in local conversional football wisdom, is a benchmark of a future national team trainer.
This year, he has gone further in Africa and to become the second coach to guide a Zambian club to the group stage of a Caf club competition after Zesco did so under his successor Fighton Simukonda last season.
Zanaco qualified to the group stage of the Caf Confederations Cup under Nyirenda’s helm as a consolation after the team was knocked out from the Champions League at the pre-group stage in May.
Their opponents in Group B present a good platform to enhance his reputation as one of Zambia’s top coaches.
His dashed dreams in the Caf Champions League have set him on an even more challenging course of the North African strip of fire that awaits him in Group B that has at least two high caliber seasoned campaigners.
Furthermore, Zanaco are then only team in Group B south of the Sahara in their pool with the other three sides all from North Africa stretching across that region from Egypt to Morocco.
Group B comprises of 2007-2008 Confederations Cup winners CS Sfaxien of Tunisia and Egyptian side Haras Hodoud who are making their third straight appearance in this event although they are yet to make it past the group stage.
FUS de Rabat of Morocco who have as little pedigree in any of the two Caf club competitions as Zanaco complete Group B and like the Sunset side, are also making their mini-league stage debut in African club competition.
North African clubs have always been Zambian clubs nemesis over the last 30 plus years .
Nyirenda will need to muster all his tactical nous and overcome that psychological barrier of North African football that haunts Zambian players to finish in a respectable position in Group B or finish top two to qualify for the Confederation Cup semifinals.
The biggest thing working for him is home advantage as North African teams are notoriously poor on the road but ruthless at home as Haras, whom Zanaco host on August 26 on match day two, will attest to.
Haras lost by a combined three goals in their last two away matches but have rebounded to score a whopping 13Â goals in return leg home games; five against Patrick Phiri’s Simba of Tanzania and eight alone in the last round when they hosted Gaborone United also coached by another Zambian trainer in the form of Mike Sithole.
The challenge of defending this year’s league crown will also test his ability as he tries to find a tangible balance with his targets both at home and abroad as he heads into choppy waters as the cold front gives way to the forecast rising heat from the north.
Good luck ZANACO. It will will be a tough call though
Wedson Nyirenda……………. ” The Special One ” of Zambian football.
Wedson, come up with an anti football strategy when in North Africa, make sure you do not lose there, do all what you can to frustrate them at their home ground and beat them all at sunset. We want you to progress to the semi’s with the avarage players we have but that have potential to rise and play as a team. To ZANACO players, kindly have focus, play well, European scouts can just nik u and organise lucrative deal for you. Do not be used by pipo like Shenko and Kalu, your carears will finish quickly. Look at Mbola, Kalaba etc. I urge all the players to Aim high bane.
Zanaco is the club and they deserve our praise and support!!