Thursday, March 28, 2024

FAZ fires National Team Coach Dario Bonetti

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Zambia National Soccer Team Coach Dario Bonetti watches the Zesco –Green Buffaloes rescheduled Week 10 match from the terraces at Woodlands Stadium in Lusaka
Fired Zambia National Soccer Team Coach Dario Bonetti

The Executive Committee of the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) met today in an emergency meeting to review the performance of the national team and have decided fire coach Dario Bonetti

FAZ president Kalusha Bwalya said the decision was taken by mutual consent.

“Though the team has qualified, there’s still more that the team can give.The team has more potential than that,” the FAZ President said

“We will go back to the drawing board, consult with stakeholders and make necessary changes in due course, ” Kalusha added.

However Bonetti has denied that he had agreed to leave. “My intention was to stay here,” he said

“I have done my work very well, I have qualified the team for the Nations Cup. This is a great opportunity for all our players,” he argued. “The people are happy, everything was ok. Obviously I am sorry for what’s happened, but I must accept it,” he said

He talked up his record with Zambia.

“I’m happy and our record in the last 15 games speaks for itself ,one of the best in Africa.I enjoyed working with this team.We contributed positively and We have worked very well. Nobody can discount this.”

“I feel very happy because We worked with very good players and the staff. I want to stay happy and leave with fond memories of my time here.I hope we can close the contract properly.”

Bonetti did say he has enjoyed his time in the country Zambia and thanked the Government and people .

“All the people I met, they are happy and friendly . We were very well received. I want to thank the people of Zambia for their hospitality.

57 COMMENTS

  1. Wow! This is too soon. From players complaining to FAZ dismissing the coach. Are we at it again? Coach or player “deficiencies”?

  2. We needed to congrats this man otherwise Kalu you are the biggest suspect at football house,why firing coaches like killing rats. You will soon be judged as well. Kamanga will arrest you.

  3. keeping DB was extravagant and luxuries. if atall he had more time with players – i think almost full squad is from congo and SA; and did u choose to go….. close to his home to monitor mayuka who is already in the paper for his good form. nway nipa zed

  4. Great job Kalu and team, this decision was long over due. This mafia was never a good coach from the word go! he was fired from all his previous engaments. One wonders what good RB and sons found in this failure! RB and DB are both losers! go well failure, may your failures go with u, not ukusha icibanda!

  5. since RB imposed and driblled kalu on this on DB we hop kalu will not impose and dribble for a frind – be it S-sport coach in SA

  6. Every employer seems to be hell bent of dismissing an employee. What has Bonneti done which the gurus at FAZ did not know all along

  7. this man went to east and central, zimbabwe, libya and yemen were he lost and won fine ..of course with different players while trying to estabilish a team. i think the coach will not change anything now coz we are about 2 months and some days b4 the finals… but its up to the same players to sort their mental problem and they better win the cup this time around no silly excuses now..the coach is gone as they wished..

  8. Good riddance. He should have seen it coming as he was single sourced by Henry Banda.

    Next is Kalusha – you can not make tea with yesterdays hot water.:d

  9. i am disapointed the fact that dario never saw quality players in the team coz i feel that this was the archievments of HR who built this team from the shambles it was in that it was even respected at the afcon in angola 2 years ago. bye DB

  10. Team selection was fair. How can Bonneti feature Mbola who doesn’t play at T.P Mazembe? However, with that type of football displayed on Saturday, its only fair that he leaves. Given a chance, I would call back Renard. In the meantime, Wedson Nyirenda with Fighton Simukonda as his assistant can do the job. Forget Patrick Phiri, he is not national team coach material.

  11. Yaba.

    FAZ is firing coaches faster than I count. Anyways, I hope this time they hire someone with enough skills at evaluating soccer talent. I think Zambia has some of the most talented soccer players in the world… and I’m not exaggerating. ;0):)>-

  12. Fellow Zambians you must remember that we have 2 months to prepare before the AFCON final in Equatorial Guinea.Did FAZ give enough support to the voach?How many friendlies did FAZ organise before the Libyan game?Playing against clubs is not enough preparations.Common FAZ you can do better.
    Remember that are no small teams in Africa any longer.Nigeria,Egypt,Cameron,Bafana Bafana all kissed the dust. Zambia must prepare adequately.A new coach must be sought as soon as possible.

  13. I think the most important thing is that Zambia qualified for the next two AFCON’s. This was a premature decision by FAZ and every one involved. How do you fire a coach two months before a tournament? HR is not that good either. 

  14. “My intention was to stay here,” he said hahaha a man he only comes to the country for matches what a joke we can do better 

  15. kalu must also resign with his coach since he became a president of FAZ there has been no development apart from building his image on supersports and marry a white lady not knowing what phobia he has with black ladies am not a racist but i see this guy who think above all the zambian. let his resign on moral ground. there is too much corruption on FOOTBALL HOUSE paid to the referees,coaches,match fixing and other stuff. let observe what kalu has done is to frustrate kabwe warriors by making them sure that they lose games. this is pure corruption sending his team to south africa while there are many academy in zambia because he pocket some money.we are calling up FAZ to clean the house. he should not sound to be a good guy because Sata was question how the coach was hired, kalu should go m

  16. Bane, Iknow most of you are more of politicians than soccer fans. If you follow soccer closely like some of us do , you will agree with me that Bonnetti was not a good coach. He failed to read the rythm of Zambian football. The other man , Renard, who was beginning to find his feet in Zambian football decided to ditch us for a beeter offer by Angola. The only way we can move on in the next two months is to find someone who understands Zambian football and knows the players. Patrick Phiri can come in handy at this last hour.

  17. I am concerned by this. no doubt. to sack a coach who has successfully brought the qualification to an end ( by finishing first in the group by the way) is a somewhat questionable thing to do.
    We could have easily decided after the tournament.Serious, guys:what is really going on in FAZ and who is supposed to take over the job?

  18. The Master Dribbler your observation is perfect. HR would be the best option…..DB was never a good coach pipo yapping know little about Zambian football. It was Simataa Simataa who started that HR was a physical trainer. The chap broke a 16 year record and you want to worship DB for being beaten by Zanzibar and beating Comoros?????? Jokes

  19. RB dad da da da DB. Everyone that had anything to do with RB is going. What a way to run a country. We are repeating the same mistake as in 1991, when everything that had KK signature on it went away. KK eleven, became Chipolopolo. 

  20. Pa ZED ukulandalnda. Like someone said most of you guys are politicians and not soccer fans. DB was not a good coach this is a hard fact.

    HR was a very good coach. Yes he resigned ukusosasosa….Patrick Phiri has seen his better days.

    With proper planning Zambia can win the forth coming AFCON. Most big teams are absent for the first time. FAZ work hard and exonerate yourselves

  21. Dario is a friend of RB’s sons – Andrew and Nenani. RB had a hand in his appointment when they thought Kalu would be toppled by Kamanga and Simataa Simataa. God is great and the spirits of those burried at independence stadium will never let scoccer go to the dos. Viva Kalu. Viva Sata… 90 days at Work

  22. Can people simply leave PF & our “Men @ Work” out of this, becoz we have had nothing to do with it, maybe RB. We have more important things to deal with than squabbling about some football coaches!!

  23. Bonetti, basta tornare in Italia. Zambia ora assumere un allenatore locale come avrebbero dovuto fare anni fa. Ora la loro mentalità coloniale è finalmente andato e si rendono conto che il bianco non è meglio

  24. guys no one fired Herve R. you keep one saying that to nail kalu. shut up if you know nothing abt football. the guy went to for greener pasture. the guy was good. dario was a share waste of time.

  25. Hehehehehe! Kalu u are now acting like Sata this very good.

    in fact we dont even need a coach we play without one. Just bring Mbesuma to the defence and katongo to the bench kalaba as the goalieeeeeeeeee u are done

  26. Im reliably informed that Dario couldn’t get any technical advice from his assistant, Honour Janza,the more reason Janza was in the stands on saturday,With the current crop of players we have,If you leave out Sinkala,Clifford,Fwayo,Mayuka,Chivuta,Sakuwaha in the team then you must be a coach for a Madalas team playing just to nurse their terrible hangovers around our barren grounds in the compounds and Dario Bonnetti was just not a coach at all.Wende bwino Capo.I will never miss you at all!

  27. ITS BETTER THE GUY HAS BEEN RELIEVED OF HIS DUTIES AS NATIONAL COACH. HOW HE WAS EMPLOYED BY STATE HOUSE AND HIS PAY PACKAGE NEGOTIATED ITS EVERY ONE’S QUESS. THERE WAS TOO MUCH UNDERHAND METHODS DURING RB’S REIGN. EVERYTHING WORTH SOME BIG AMOUNT WAS DONE AT STATE HOUSE. ITS GOOD THE ITALIAN MADE HIS MONEY AND NOW HE HAS TO GO.

  28. its not a surprise that Dario Bonneti is a non-performer and even his hiring was highly questionable. Kalu was so adamant when he was told and questioned on that appointment. Days are catching  with such an arrogant man. Most soccer  fans had questioned this little non-coach but Kalu together with his disciples never wanted to listen. FAZ watch out in this new PF government. 

  29. looking at the fact that we only have 2 months before the games, it would only be wise to bring back RENARD coz he already knows the team and has worked with it before which makes him the ideal replacement for dario.

  30. HR walked out on Zambia for money, and even if he waz a “good” coach, pliz let’s not think about him now. If it’s just for an “expartriate touch” (iz it necessary?) to our national team, there are a lot foreign coachez without jobz in the region, tho the local ladz would do. 

  31. Gentlemen this is not fare but it has happened anyway..our boys are just too old too why c. katongo when there is a brilliant C.Mulenga who could have changed the results? HR is good but getting him would mean going backward lucky msisika and chambeshi would be the best just for the next 4 months then we source from outside..

  32. Ok Boneti is gone, what about Kalu? we dont nid these ***** at FAZ he has messed up alot of things, wonder why he is even firing his friends leaving his own ass.Kuyabebele bonse fool

  33. It seems so many things are wrongly done in Zambia.Fire this one and that one.Where is professionalism?I guess the next coach must have a surname that ends with a C.we can play under Yugoslavs.If not then consider former Zambian greats.we want to watch soccer again.GOD BLESS ZAMBIA.

  34. Ok people I need help; the fellow has 15 games, 4 draws 3 lost games and 8 won games. anyone remembers one coach who beat this record in the recent past?

  35. Ans it is stressful each time one talks about Zambian football, it is either FAZ, GVT, the coach or some truant player. GOD!

  36. While i agree with Dario’s fate i think our squad also needs a shake up. why do we call up some pros. only to have them warming up the bench & gulging litres of mineral water? Players like Jonas Sakuwaha, clifford, Noah, Andrew, the list is endless. Am proposing Fighton as head coach to be assisted by Wedson & Ba Fordson Kabole. A crop of Zambian coaches took us thru the drills before Seoul 1988 & look at how we performed. Come on Kalu cast out personal issues for the sake of mother Zambia. In 1988 we had coahes like the late legendary ZOOM, ba Makwaza, late Dick Chama, ba Uncle freddy Mwila, the great UCAR Godfrey Chitalu, late Alex Chola & the late Moses Simwala…

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