Friday, March 29, 2024

Kalusha Wants Fifa Ranking Criteria Changed

Share

Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) President Kalusha Bwalya
Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) President Kalusha Bwalya

Kalusha Bwalya has suggested that Fifa rankings should be calculated basing on official international matches only.

Friendly matches also count on the monthly Fifa rankings.

In his latest article published by Forbes Africa Magazine, Kalusha said the rankings compiled by the world soccer governing body can be misleading because friendly matches also matter.
“My opinion is that rankings should only be calculated through official qualifying international matches.

“Fifa rankings can be so misleading because friendly matches also count and as such football associations with larger budgets can afford more significant high profile friendlies earning them false increased grading.

“If one were to use rankings as a true measure for grading teams, how do you explain the likes of Ethiopia ranked 33rd and Niger ranked 42nd in Africa qualifying for the Africa Cup of Nations over Egypt, Senegal and Cameroon?” the Faz boss wrote.

Kalusha sits on the Fifa technical committee.

89 COMMENTS

  1. You have a point Kalu, tell Sepp Blatter, indeed it means those who can not afford friendly matches are disadvantaged!!

  2. the reason why these friendly games are counted is for very team to be seriour and not worsting time for the other. Players wont be serious at all when playing friendly games. This rule is a backbone of football. Friendly games wont be entertaining as they wont have any value. Simple issue.

  3. Ba Kalu…those guys are your friends and you are an insider…work and change the lot because what you are saying does make sense…now that you have mentioned this to the world, lets see the true management of a game changer, do your work mudala, Africa will love you and just maybe you could position yourself for the presidency of CAF…become an African platini!

    • Stop day dreaming; your Kalu is saving himself for CAF and the corrupt FIFA round table, there is nothing he can do but to appease those guys..its all politics.

  4. Lausanne, Switzerland – Liberian football leaders have asked sport’s highest court to overturn election rules which protect Confederation of African Football President Issa Hayatou from challenges.

    Hayatou, a Fifa vice president, has led Caf since 1987 and steered through amendments in September blocking his likely strongest opponents from challenging him next year.

    The Court of Arbitration for Sport says it has registered Liberia Football Association appeals against Caf statutes changes which take effect next Monday.

    Cas says Liberia asks for provisional measures to block Hayatou’s amendments until a full hearing is held.

    The court says it has notified Caf to respond and aims to give an interim decision within days.

  5. Cas says Liberia asks for provisional measures to block Hayatou’s amendments until a full hearing is held.

    The court says it has notified Caf to respond and aims to give an interim decision within days.

    Cas says Liberia’s FA is also appealing the African body’s plans to screen candidates for other elections scheduled in March

  6. Has he just found out now? why have we been in the forefront calling for FAZ to organise proper opponents for friendly games. Just play highly ranked teams not cheap teams!!
    Wake up!!!  

  7. He is now complaining about FIFA ranking criteria yet the same individual was quoted as saying he does not take notice of it. FAZ deserve better than this empty suit if anything Kalu would do a good job as an ambassador for football of Zambia.
    Look at the past friendlies we have had since wining the AFCON all pointless useless opponents and compare than with the likes of Ivory Coast’s opponents. He has no clue what he is doing…its only his blind hero worshippers that keep him in that seat.
    Wake up people!!!!!

  8. Ba Kalu valid points indeed, makes us feel proud we have Zambians who offer constructive and progressive ideas on a world front

  9. Its true current FIFA ranking lacks Reliability and Validity of measurements, just imagine even after Zambia wining Africa Cup, some countries that have never even won Africa Cup where ranked above Zambia.

    • Go to FIFA website and enlightened yourself with how it works..instead of listening to half baked truths by Kalu. FIFA ranking system takes into account games within a 4 year period. How many games did Zambia have before AFCON 2012? Did we qualify to the World Cup?
      Wake up!!

  10. Galu is just a useless Grade 12. After Zambia won the Africa cup this year, this idi.ot lost the opportunity to organise high profile games with teams ranked above Zambia. There are a lot of teams that would have wanted to play against the current African champions.

    • So wat if he is a grade 12?? Some of us hav better education than u but u will never hear us say this one is a grade wat!! Wat matters is wat u achieve in life, and kalu has achieved better things than doctors. Even Mbesuma and Esther Phiri are better than u primitive educated citizen. education is good but its not everythng… Ur a galu yoself

  11. FIFA ranking system is just fine as it is…only when you understand it; will know its importance. We have too many “yes men” in Zed football and take everything Kalu says as the holy grail. Wake up critically analysis issues ask him “why?” not just “Yes Great Kalu its TRUE”. This man is an empty suit the sooner you relies it the batter for Zed football!

    SPLASH some ice cold water on your faces AND WAKE UP!!! 

  12. Ba Mwiponta Mukabwela 
    This is why Zambians are accused of being allergic to reading articles more 100 chracters.
    Please go to FIFA website (its FREE) and enlightened yourself with how it works; it even has a simple formula..instead of listening to half baked truths by your Great King Kalu,(who is clueless) FIFA ranking system takes into account games within a 4 year period. How many games did Zambia have before AFCON 2012? Did we qualify to the World Cup?

    • I can see that you think that what Fifa has put in black and white is not open to challenge. How the hell do you call yourself an intellectual if you can not find another way of doing something? The man is simply making a suggestion which should be debated. We all know that FIFA allocates different points for a win,lose or draw. What Kalu is asking is whether that can only be restricted to competitive international matches. Is there anything wrong with making such
      a suggestion?

    • The question you should be asking your Kalu is whether he has LAMENTABLY failed to bring high profile opponents OR whether he just wants to pocket the funds by hoodwinking us with cheap BORING games against Botswana and Angola. 
      Do you honestly think Southampton FC would release Mayuka OR any foreign based player if FIFA downgraded International friendlies? Ponder on that please….

  13. kalu makes sense, but most bloggers here r too dull to assimilate. Before you open your mouth look at your education/intelligence, have you proved in society that you are wealth what you claim before you can condemn others. A lot of time wasters on this blog yet they are just i.diots in the community.

    • I’m criticising the FAZ president is that a crime in Zambia?  As for education your Kalu is a Grade 12 school leaver. I’m very fortunate to have gone further than that and I am content but that is besides the point.

  14. @Jay jay. you must be kamanga or simata simata losers. kalu brought the most wanted and long awaited for trophy amidist your noisy rantings and now you expect us to be swayed by you losers now? you must be on celebro malaria . ufunanji iwe mambala kansi?

    • So we should not dare to question him even though he is contradicting himself? No I don’t know Mr Kamanga and Mr Simata but with the type of calibre we have in FAZ it would not be a bad idea to try them.

    • Is what Jay Jay saying true or false.Don’t start talking like someone without brains.Go to the achives,around 1994,zambia was below no. 20 in the world on fifa rankings and we never had an AFCON championship.

    • What have Kamanga and Simataa got to do with this? Hope nekst you won’t say a Luchazi/Mbunda/Namwanga this or indeed Soli/Tumbuka/Lala that…

  15. That’s typical of blind Zambian football fans instead of sticking to the subject at hand its convenient for the them to insult and kill the debate as far as they are concerned the Great King Kalu knows everything and should not be challenged. You guys are no different to Political party cadres of UNIP when Zambia was a one party state!

  16. @ Jay Fool, whatever they call you, Kalusha has just raised a valid obsarvation here, you seem to be a bitter chap, dont just hate Kalusha for nothing this man Kalusha Bwalya 1 is an achiever. And FIFA will take his advise, continue this senseless attack on Great Kalu, then you will meet us headon.

    • Personal insults again….Nobody hates your Great King His Majesty Kalu..Hate and Bitter are two words that should be omitted from our vocabulary, it just promotes lazy minds and discourages duologue. Why shouldn’t you meet me head on now then? Nothing holding you back…

  17. “Fifa rankings can be so misleading because friendly matches also count and as such FAs with larger budgets can afford more significant high profile friendlies earning them false increased grading.”
    Let’s read between the lines what is your Great King his majesty Kalusha trying to say here that the likes of FAZ can’t afford to organise high profile friendlies with over $1million in their account and 55000 capacity stadium in Ndola. The reason why FIFA accredits the friendlies is so some FAs take them seriously..seriously enough for clubs to release their players for international games.If FIFA went ahead and took your majesty’s prescription you the selfsame fans will be the losers as you will not see a single friendly organized by these crooks.
    This football politics.
    Wake up!! 

  18. Ba Mr Hamiyanze 
    C’mon you can surely do better than cheap personal insults….Nobody hates your Great King His Majesty Kalu, last time I checked he was FAZ President of my country’s national team hence he should open to constructive criticism like any leader out there..”Hate and Bitter” are two words that should be omitted from our Zambian vocabulary, it just promotes lazy minds, docility and discourages duologue. Why shouldn’t you meet me head on now then? Nothing is holding you back…
    Wake up!!

  19. Kalu is right… by nature even ‘friendly’ games are competitive … or let me say there is no such as friendly game… take south africa for example they can afford to play any team coz they can afford.. Kalu u make us pround…

  20. Jay jay you aren’t FIFA so stop pretending you know more than all of us including Kalu who is In FIFA. FIFA has knowledgeable members in its technical committee who will soberly respond to Kalu. Kalu as a member of the committee already knows how current rankings work.he is a footballer so U can’t start lecturing him on his trade. As far as I’m concerned Friendlies favour the wealthy teams since they can pay stronger teams for games.

  21. @ Mr Jay Jay, why dont you come back home we need that advise. Am sorry if I sounded too strong, you know Kalu is our baby we want him to achieve his vision, sorry one

  22. Here is a DEFENCE OF RANKING TABLE by FIFA Secretary General Jerome Valcke [Source Sky sports 7th July 2012]

    FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke said: “I know that these rankings are sometimes quite difficult to understand due to the level and numbers of criteria that are taken into account.
    “There are teams who are playing more friendly games than other teams and you can see a difference which is not very logical, but the ranking I would say is clearly still a good picture of the level of international football.”

  23. “Brazil are not playing official games, just friendly games as they are already qualified.”
    “There have been internal meetings and also with the football committee to discuss the ranking of the different nations. We want to be able to explain in an easier way how this ranking is based.”
    FIFA’s rankings are based on an international side’s results over the previous four years, with more points awarded from competitive matches than qualifiers, and weighted even more strongly towards matches in the final tournaments of World Cups and continental tournaments such as European Championships.

  24. You are one of those Who thought academic education would ensure you success and riches and. When you see less academically educated people succeeding and getting more recognition than You a pang of jealousy demonically grips you and as such can do nothing but spill bile at those you envy. Jealousy will drive you insane

    • C’mon get a grip of yourself…how can I be jealous of him when I used to watch him as kid in the open stands at the Independence stadium…just because one was a great player it does not necessarily mean one will be a great manager or administrator in their post career.

  25. Go to school and write a paper for publication don’t just speak to jounalists. What about your Katongo why was he left on on CAF nominations? What about Kalaba why he fathered a child out of wedlock and he doesnt want the mother now? He didnt know when doing those sweet things that he would produce a bemba kolwest

  26. chaps like jj are bitter and extremely envious. bitter for their failures and its like vinegar to a wound when they see others achieve what they themselves envy. Jayjay whatever your name is get a life maybe u il leave a small mark in this world, otherwise you are a sorry pitiful bitter loser with no relevance, oh and these are not insults just points

  27. Most interesting….this issue needs to be debated with a big-picture view of world football. It may be necessary to include friendlies in the rankings as they wuld otherwise not be taken seriously and soccer fans would be robbed of the entertainment. However, Kalu has a point as the richer associations are at an advantage the way things stand. But then, looks like the teams with more money give us good football as time goes on even at club level. So, Kalu and co. should work hard at fundraising so we play more friendlies.

  28. There is his majesty his royal highness Kalu writing articles in some foreign magazine when our Football league is in an appalling state; in need of sponsorship and direction, our league has great potential to surpass the RSA’s league in sponsorship, attract better TV rights packages and bigger regional TV viewing figures if only we had visionaries in Football House… instead of looking at the FIFA ranking table as a challenge he merely sees only obstacles in these friendlies games. Remember that we will not only have one FIFA rated football stadium in Ndola BUT two stadia the other being in Lusaka next year…what’s the point of building these stadia if you will only be playing small teams like Malawi and Zimbabwe 
    (Cont’d)

  29. …. FAZ should seize this opportunity to fundraise much needed funds to beef up its coffers and reinvest it in training and infrastructure. We are champions for godsake those days of complaining should a thing of the past…look at the BIGGER PICTURE!!!

    Wake up Kalusha!!!

  30. I am CONFUSED.
    Kalu, if I may ask you; Kabimba your Justice Minister, has never been adopted has MP despite so many attempts. However, he goes up the rankings of PF party & government. WHY, how can you explain that?

  31. you call him Kalu the great, what has he really achieved for Zambia except for enriching himself. The boy lives comfortably in RSA and the FAZ money is being used there. Look at that 33 yrs Ivory international footballer boy who has gone back to his homeland, started an academy and is building a hotel there. Kalusha has had many chances but what can he show forth on the ground in Zed?

  32. Ka Jay Jay, you are just a bitter mathaf.aka, s.hit-hole. Just leave Kalusha alone ******we. What has Kalusha done to you? Kalusha helped us bring the trophy by creating a good working relationship btn the national team and FAZ, hence creating tranquility and team spirit which helped us alot at the last afcon. Kalusha has been a player before and he understands the plight of players. Zambia is now recognised thats why we can be nominated for 3 CAF awards and 2 world soccer awards. Ka Jay Jay, just shut the fu.c.k up.

  33. @Jay Jay, stu.pidity should not be embraced and worshipped. I see that you worship it. Surely you cant see all these achievements Zambian soccer is making all because of the current FAZ, and its good relationship and coperation with government and the national team. I know you belong to the Kamanga/Simata camp. Jelousy down mune. PhD syndrome will kill you baba. Get a life.

  34. YOU FOOLS IF ONLY YOU KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DEBATING. BUT YOU ARE BATCH OF FOOLS LIKE CHICKENS. ITS ASKING WHETHER FIRE HAS SMOKE. THIS GREAT KALU HAS DONE ALOT FOR ZAMBIA THAN ALL YOU FOOLS. HE EVEN KNOWS FOOTBALL MATTERS THAN YOU EVEN IF YOU ARE CALLING HIM GRADE 12. YOU HAVE YOUR MASTER ‘S DEGREES WITHOUT A JOB BECAUSE YOU ARE VERY DULL

  35. Its a nation of envious jealous people who cant accept that they have a hero amongst themselves unless they are the heroes themselves. But they cant be heroes because to be Kalu needs great talent or great effort. Not all of us have the will and energy to put in great efforts so that we can become heroes. Not all of us can unearth the talent in ourselves. We prefer to walk with the crowd. When one stands out of that crowd we try by all means to bring him down to where we are. Great Kalu be blessed. Bring more rewards to Zambian soccer and sport

  36. JJ is a snob!!! Zambian league has come out of gae my dear….. Watch SS9 on Saturdays (live). All this is because of our ‘little Kalu” Whether you like it or not… He is our living Soccer hero, both as aplayer and administrator!!!.

  37. Haha very funny comments on this topic. In all fairness this is something which needs to be debated with a sober mind. This ciulture of attacking the messenger instead of the message is taking away the objectivity in the debate. JJ has been called names but he has raised oertinent issues here so has Kalusha Bwalya. The way forward is to discuss the issues rather than personalities

  38. In Zambia you have a culture of praising somebody after he/she has gone (death). All the good words are uttered at this time when its too late. When somebody is alive, he/she is a villain even when/she he is doing a good thing. Kalusha is a living legend and we are not hero-worshipping. Its only in Zambia when this man is insulted left, right and centre. Indeed as they say, “A prophet is not respected in his own country”. I am not saying Kalusha is perfect, but he is also human, he is bound to make mistake. My South Africa friend was telling me that you guys in Zambia are lucky that you have a former soccer star heading the FA. “But in RSA, you have politicians running football, and that why SA soccer is going down”, so he said. Lets just give credit where its due.

    • Please stop making oxymoron statements..its pathetic…your RSA friend can utter those words as he has the privilege to see your Great Kalu working in this country everyday on RSA TV, RSA newspapers and RSA magazines.
      Wake up!! 

  39. Top Papa
    Please stop making oxymoron statements….your RSA friend can utter such words as he has the privilege to see your Great King Kalu working in this country everyday on RSA TV, writing articles in RSA newspapers and RSA magazines.
    Wake up!! 

  40. You Jayjay the oxmoron believe you have the right to shut others up when you argue so vehemently against anyone who tries to zip you up. I can see you imagine plenty of things and based on these hallucinations you aimlessly shoot crap from your mouth in your hate diatribes for Kalu. Kalu never appears on what you call RSA TV nor does he write for any newspaper here. Dont think I know Kalusha from magazines and television. Iam a Kamuchanga man who comes from a footballing town which appreciates skill. Since you spend the whole day on websites attacking people you must be lonely. I doubt whether anyone would want to live with you because you hate so much so you pass time venting by frothing at the mouth on LT. Go sleep moron.. we want some peace

  41. The questions you should be asking your Great King Kalu is whether he has just LAMENTABLY failed miserably to arrange high profile opponents OR whether he just wants to pocket the gate takings by hoodwinking us with cheap BORING games against Botswana, Angola and some local clubs. 
    Do you honestly think the likes of Southampton FC would release Mayuka OR any foreign based player if FIFA downgraded International friendlies? Ponder on that please….
    Please Wake up!!!

  42. why wud one hate friendlies.money or no money,let the game be played.fifa is ok 2 reward whoever play more games.kalu great but wrong on this one.fifa is all about promoting the playing of football so that we’ve no time to watch other things like nsolo or nyau

  43. Have you guys seen how Pele (Brazil) is being treated both in Brazil and the World in general. Yes, Kalu has never won the World Cup as a player but he won the African Footballer of the Year. As President, he sits with the AFCON cup and the Nelson Mandela challenge Cup. Please educate me on any other Zambian player and/or coach who has done this before! Why are we so negative about our soccer and full of hatred with our own breed (s)? 

  44. Features Of Optelec Compact+ 4.3 Inch Color Portable Video Magnifier – 3 Hrs. of Battery Use!Three Hour Battery Use!, Handle, 4.3 Inch ScreenOne Year Warranty. Newest Portable on the market!2X-10X Magnification.

Comments are closed.

Read more

Local News

Discover more from Lusaka Times-Zambia's Leading Online News Site - LusakaTimes.com

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading