Chipolopolo striker Emmanuel Mayuka has continued warming the bench at his English Premiership side Southampton ahead of next month’s Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa.
Mayuka was an unused substitute in Southampton’s 1-0 win over Reading at St Mary’s Stadium on Saturday.
Jason Puncheon’s second-half goal earned Southampton a vital victory against Reading, lifting the Saints out of the bottom three and leaving the Royals second bottom and six points from safety.
Mayuka has played six times for Southampton since joining the team from Swiss side Young Boys in August.
His last played for Southampton was on November 5 in a 2-0 away loss to West Brom.
On 30 October, Southampton manager Nigel Adkins handed Mayuka his first start in his side’s 3-0 League Cup quarterfinal loss to Leeds United.
Meanwhile, South Africa based striker Collins Mbesuma continued with his tip-top form in the ABSA Premiership on Saturday scoring a goal in Orlando Pirates’ 1-1 draw against Kaiser Chiefs in the Soweto Derby.
Mbesuma scored in the first half for the Buccaneers, but Lehlohonolo Majoro’s eighth League goal of the season meant Chiefs got the draw – and maintain their three-point lead in the standings.
Pirates thought they had a second when Mbesuma netted after what looked like a backpass by Katsande, but the assistant referee ruled it offside and the striker was replaced by Benni McCarthy after 71 minutes.
Coach Herve Renard is this week expected to announce the provisional Chipolopolo squad ahead of the 2013 Africa.
Zavuta zintu
Making a breakthrough in the premier league is not easy, it is tough and the competition for a start position is bruising. Sitting on the subs bench for too long is a huge disadvantage for Mayuka’s progress bearing in mind his important role in the Zambian national team. He has to work extra hard for more regular games.
This is the price some players pay when they move to bigger clubs.They start warming the bench.Personally i would rather play for a smaller team and be a regular feature than playing for a big team and be a regular substitute.
It was better in Switzerland where he played every week. Mayuka’s agent hear my advice: In the January window get the boy to France. PSG and Montpellier are looking for attackers. He will lose nothing. After all The French are a more glamorous soccer nation than the whole of Britain
Are you daft? Do you really see Ba Mayuka benching Ibrahimovic or Javier Pastore? Let’s just accept that Mayuka is an average player in an average team playing for an average manager.
England is not a footballing nation i wonder why they are so loud! get that boy to Europe or else he will just be a commercial name like like some lads we know!
get the boy to Europe!!!where is England?????
The young man can only progress if he plays. He shud leave soon to be demoted Southampton.
remember collins mbesuma was in a similar situation when he went to england. His career almost came to an end. Lesson to other zambian players who want to venture out there. Sunzu should think carefully.
Football is a practical game, practice makes better, the more you play the better you become!
I’ve watched Mayuka come on as a substitute to play for Southampton in all the matches. Although practice makes perfect, Mayuka should push the bar on his game in the little time he’s given and show that he can do better than Lambert or Puncheon.
Amen!
Have you ever played soccer, he needs minimum of 60min at least.
Nguluta, I dont think a player needs 60 minutes min to prove his worth. We have seen players get onto the pitch and immediately score or make some ‘assists’. I agree with Neo that once given even 10 minutes of play, Mayuka should show the coach that he should have pushed him in 40 minutes earlier! It is unfortunate that Mayuka has continued to sit on the bench and of course as Zambians we are not happy about this.
He will just have to earn his position his time will come…Lambert and Puncheon are no step overs and they have improved massively as well since the first game in EPL.
FAZ and foolish sports minister gave no advice to the young man. Short memory, you for got what happened to Mbesuma in England. Mayuka Mayuka Mayuka is too young and too good to be sitting on the bench.
If you guys are thinking of Brazil, think 3 times about the next year for Mayuka. He is 1 of the 4 players I’m counting on to be in the best form with experience when 2014 comes.
Let’s learn to be realistic no wonder we still continue to support empty suits in Football House!!
guys mayuka is a good player no doubt about it. but two things to look at:
if you followed mayukas move. it was so in the back ground has compared to other signings that they made. other signings were constantly on bbc/cnn and other channels. mayuka is dealing with racists. second when mayuka was given game time he did not give his best to match the difficult times he is facing. my opinion mayuka should strick a deal to go back to young boys on loan believe me you he will get back to his best.
Racists? That’s like saying you can’t make it in Zambia because you’re white. Dude, slavery ended more than 200 years ago and there are plenty of black, African footballers STARTING every week for their teams. Mikel, Pienaar, Toure, Adebayor … list is long but don’t let the facts get into the way of a stupid comment!!
First of all English football is very difficult to make IT first team wen you jst join an English team.E.g Torres,Crspo had a bad start.So lets give Mayuka a chance for this season am pretty sure come nxt season he will have more gametime and even this season if any of the dependable saints strikers gets injured he will be the nxt option for atkins
You are an excellent soccer analyst boi…
Chilikula fye.
Maybe our players should try London for a change when they decide to go to England. Why always Southampton city. Im not saying Chelsea or Arsenal but there are smaller good clubs like West Ham, Fulham etc.
If he can’t make it at Southampton what chance would he stand at W’ham and Fulham?
As we know that he is a good player but the best for him is to be loaned out otherwise the guy will be as bad as he exhibited against UGANDA at a home fixture
The young man has to prove his worth out on the training ground… the two attackers with the saints have been there and were responsible for bringing up into the EPL.. prove your worth my friend! we have all the faith in you…
The young lad was pushed before he could jump. Give him time, at least a full season before you judge him. Jacob Mulenga is doing just fine at a mediocre club in a major league. It hasn’t proved the same for Mayuka. Maybe he should go to the Championship on laon to the likes of Hull City or Bolton Wanderers … he needs to perpetuate the Zambian tendency to underperform. Everybody will be happy with him afterwards.
#6 Correction ma brother Ucar scored 107 goals
Mayuka’s move from young boys to Southampton was a matter of forward thinking on the part of the latter (Southampton). They know that they will not last in the premiership. When (not if) that happens happens, most of the quality players will seek greener pastures at other clubs. It is at this point that the club will then try to hold on to those like Mayuka who are not getting regular play at the moment to keep the fans entertained in the Championship. It will then be up to Mayuka and his agent to decide the way forward. If Mayuka can stay that will be his time to shine and catch the eyes of other premiership managers. Calton Cole stayed at Westham when they were relegated, I think Mayuka should do the same. Breaking into the premiership is not easy. He has what it takes though…
#16 Kabwata Iam sure you are joking. The guy is a good player. But like most bloggers have said match practice is essential. Sitting on the bench doesnt help Zambia’s cause for 2014. I therefore agree with those urging him to move out in the January transfer window. I also think English soccer is over-rated because it has a big audience derived from Britain’s colonial past. Bundesliga, French and Italian Soccer are all much better
I TALKED TO MAYUKA TO COME BACK TO ZAMBIA AND FEATURE FOR NKANA AND HE HAS REFUSED. ITS HIS FAULT. ENGLAND IS NOT FOR PALYERS LIKE HIM, HE WILL FINISH ON THE BENCH. LOOK AT THE OTHER 3 BLACK GUYS WHO PLAY HIS POSITION..THEY ARE VERY SHARP ON GOAL AND SKILL.
Kwena chachine bane.. Ucar scored 107 goals How come we dont see his record on FIFA? Zambia was a registered member of FIFA when Chitalu scored these goals. So Messi should not claim a record he doesnt have. Come on FAZ present our case, especially we Magnificent Kabwe Warriors fans. To add to that 40% of Messi’s “goals” are from penalties, I.e. fouls committed on other players while Pele had 90 percent of his goals from free play and Muller had less than 30 percent from free kicks
Lets go Mbesuma, Zambia’s most lethal stricker…
This Chap gave up playing in the Europa Champions league for Southampton its a no brainer..!
Asanga ba Lambert baleteya!
Sale Optelec Compact+ 4.3 Inch Color Portable Video Magnifier – 3 Hrs. of Battery Use! Cheap Price, Best Discount Optelec Compact+ 4.3 Inch Color Portable Video Magnifier – 3 Hrs. of Battery Use! Reviews, Buy Optelec Compact+ 4.3 Inch Color Portable Video Magnifier – 3 Hrs. of Battery Use! Price