Zambia have cancelled Tuesday training as a mark of respect for President Michael Sata who will be put to rest today.
And seven foreign-based players joined their 13 local compatriots in practice on Monday at Sunset Stadium in Lusaka when Zambia entered day two of training for their final phase of 2015 Africa Cup Group F qualifiers.
“Traditonal is that it is not our culture to work when we are burying someone and it is especially so because it is a state funeral,” Zambia coach Honour Janza said.
“We need to mourn with the whole country and bury our President.”
The team will resume training on Wednesday just 24 hours before departing for Maputo for Saturdays penultimate 2015 Africa Cup Group F qualifier against Mozambique.
Meanwhile, striker Emmanuel Mayuka, Chisamba Lungu, James Chamanga and Davies Nkausu were the first pros to join training on Monday morning at Sunset Stadium.
Goalkeeper Kennedy Mweene, midfielder Lubambo Musonda and defender Aaron Katebe of FC Platinum in Zimbabwe arrived in time for Monday afternoon training at the same venue.
Obviously, that was expected from you. You should not even announce it. How can you be training when the late head of state is being buried? I guess it’s a holiday today for most people in Zambia.
I think what you should have done is train according to your plan to ensure that you win this game for our late president and I believe that this is what he would have loved. Now falling short of one training session which could potentially result in our elimination is really not the right way of showing respect. I thought we have had 14 days to mourn and show respect in what ever way. Anyway I still hope you guys will do us proud.
I personally think they should have trained in front of the crowd at the Heroes stadium in black armbands as a mark of respect and solidarity. A young economy such as ours cannot afford to come to a standstill like this for 2 weeks! There is the expense of the funeral – just imagine the security bill, accommodating dignitaries, business shutdown, the pending by-election budget and this is just the beginning of the rainy season. Farming inputs have not been fully dispersed and word on the ground is of non-payment of money owed to farmers for this year’s produce already supplied to government. We certainly do get our priorities very wrong! This funeral should have concluded on Saturday and people back to work on Monday!
You made the choice not train even when you are constrained with time. Just don’t use it as an excuse when you lose
It was announced last week that nov 11 is a public holiday pga burial… and now you want to tell us that you cancelled as a sign of respect. Please, Hon Janza try to be intelligent. Don’t speak the obvious.