By Mathews Kabamba , Kitwe
WHILE soccer icon Kalusha Bwalya gave Rainford Kalaba his senior Chipolopolo debut 12 years ago, current national team coach Wedson Nyirenda appears to be one that handed ‘The Master’ his last appearance in national colours.
On his unveiling as Chipolopolo trainer last year, Nyirenda preached a change of mindset by players in his quest to restore the country’s lost glory on the continent.
Nyirenda warned of wholesale but gradual changes to the team, which has relatively underperformed since winning the Africa Cup of Nations in Gabon in 2012.
“My coming is purely to rebuild, but taking two things, while rebuilding we are looking at qualifying for the World Cup, so that is where the challenge becomes hard.
“Am I under pressure? I am one person who loves challenges. I have been in such situations before and I have come out with good performances. And before I came to Zesco United, I was written off but I did what I could do and today Zesco is a darling of Africa,” Nyirenda said.
Nyirenda has been preaching rebuilding and discipline since the first day he took over the mantle at the senior national team, but has received some criticism in the manner he is going about this issue.
On June 10 during a 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Mozambique at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola, Kalaba went straight to the dressing room after being substituted for Given Singuluma in the second-half.
Zambia went on to lose 1-0.
A few weeks later, Nyirenda told the media that Kalaba would be disciplined ahead of the Algerian encounter. It did not need to take a fortune teller to know that Kalaba would not make the squad.
Kalaba responded to Nyirenda in the media the following day “I got permission from the assistant coaches before going to the dressing room just after I was substituted. I got permission to take a shower. I am the captain and would not want to disrespect the coach.”
Last Tuesday, Nyirenda announced a 32-member provisional squad ahead of the must-win Russia World Cup qualifier against Algeria set for Saturday.
The TP Mazembe midfielder is suspended for the first leg after accumulating two yellow cards against Nigeria and Cameroon, but is eligible for the return leg, thus his omission from the provisional squad seems to have signalled the beginning of the end of Kalaba’s national team career.
After shining at Under-17 and 20 levels, Kalaba made his maiden senior appearance as a teenager in a Council of Southern Africa Football Associations (COSAFA) Senior Challenge Cup’s 3-0 win over Swaziland at Woodlands Stadium in which he also contributed a goal.
From there on, Kalaba has made 100 appearances for the Chipolopolo, scoring 15 goals in his 12-year career.
Kalaba has played in 19 international friendlies, 23 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, 16 World Cup qualifiers and 18 matches at the Africa Cup of Nations finals.
The former Zesco United and Afrisport midfielder has played nine matches for Zambia in the COSAFA Cup while turning up five times in the Council for East and Central Africa Football Associations (CECAFA) Senior Challenge Cup.
His is part of Zambia’s golden generation that bagged Chipolopolo’s maiden Africa Cup title under the tutelage of Frenchman Herve Renard after beating Ivory Cost 8-7 on penalties in Libreville in 2012.
Talented as he is, Kabala has polarised opinion among pundits and fans across the country.
Kalaba was appointed Chipolopolo skipper on January 7, 2015 before the Africa Cup finals in Equatorial Guinea, taking over from Russia-based defender Stopilla Sunzu.
Zambian football historian and statistician Daniel Kaoma describes Kalaba’s two-year stint at the helm of the team as uninspiring.
“Since 1964, when Zambia got affiliated to FIFA, we have had something close to 38 captains for Chipolopolo.
Kalaba’s reign as captain can be described as just one of those.
“He is the type of captain that has failed to provide leadership…he is one who when the team, is sinking does not fight to save the team, rather he would sink with the team,” Kaoma said.
[Zambia daily mail]
serious under performance 15 goals in 12 years in 100 appearances
Indeed 15 goals in 100 games is apalling even for midfielder !! That is about 1 goal in 7 games. Shame. Godfrey ucar Chitalu scored 107 games in 40 matches. Football will never progress in Zambia. Confiscate those smart phones !!!!
Kalaba is captain because he was only one remaining consistent. Nyerenda is wrong.
Chris Katongo retired too early, he is supposed to be in USA playing. But he thinks like a politician, Chris should challenge for FAZ president on next elections, he will win.
Jacob Mulenga was supposed to be captain, but I wonder if he ever captained any team in his career. No wonder he is a loner.
Mweene need move from RSA to China or MLS-USA, right now he has lost self confidence.
Truly, chipolopolo has no Leader. No one even know assistant coaches.
A BRILLIANT PLAYER OF OUR TIME…..A MASTER INDEED,..WHO IS STEPPING IN HIS SHOES…!!! WORLD CUP QUALIFIER IS A GOOD LITMUS PAPER…
A MASTER SHALL REMAIN A MASTER
Master of what …..Kalu had unquestionable skill, leadership, etc. What is Rainford a master of?
I have never rated Kalaba highly. I actually don’t find him to a be an inspiring captain. He is a good player but nothing much. He is very replaceable in the field of play and there are better captains in our current players. I think Wada’s experiments will pay off.
KALABA the master , its unfortunate that the writer is insinuating that the master is hanging boots for chipolopolo, its Impossible the boy is still hot energetic YOUNG , light so dont push him into retirement ala, he can be dropped as captain iam sure Kalaba doesnt mind that we need to inspire the MASTER, he is among the great that are still active after 2012 dont let him exit like Chris katongo, mind you his elder brother Hon. Harry Kalaba (same father but different mothers) is 2021 choice for PF. so Rainford be respected. Fortunately to the coach he shall beat Algreria back to back but please dont forget THE MASTER in the next games
Cthis reporter is poor. He should clearly state what he wants to say. Kalaba hangs up his international boots?
Changes are necessary but how you do the changes is cardinal. Ba Wada should have maintained Kalaba and Nathan for sometime. They role has been good of the years. Wada Wada ena ni kaya?
lets watch and see….. i think with the infussion of young guys to the team… can earn us points this time…. kalaba..yes.. he is good…. only that he does read the game….
I watched him play at Heroes stadium against some team from the north and he kept being flagged for off side so many times, i concluded he is a stone head.
Nyirenda you are wrong! you are suppsed to mix or blend the players. experience matters. people like kalaba with experience should stay.
An attacking midfielder who scores 15 goals in 100 games!!! and you call him an icon?
Kalaba has not contributed much compared to other icons in Zambian football. His shots are usually off target and he is a bit selfish. He costed us games in the last Africa Cup that Zambia appeared. Instead of passing the ball, he is usually selfish and opt to shoot.
VC, you are very right. Where you expect him to be cool so as to shoot on target, he panics and almost always shoots wild….disappointing though he sometimes creates chances!
Kalaba’s play changed from team work to individual and selfish football, especially after being made captain. I liked the national team under the captainship of Chris Katongo. Its long overdue, let’s drop Kalaba.
Guys! Kalaba may not have scored a lot of goals for Zambia. But one cold fact is that, he played a pivotal role in braining the AFCON trophy..Something that eluded the likes of Ucar & Kalu.
Ukutasha bane kusuma.
Epo napelela.
THat is being cunning in your argument. Something that eluded Ucar and Kalu is like saying Ucar played alone for the Nations Cup. Football is a team game. Its not tennis. Kalu on his own couldnt have won the cup
braining******bringing
AFCON trophy to Zambia..
Ba Pele Kaimana…..Yes, he is good except that he has that element of selfishness at the crucial moment…instead of passing, he shoots at goal and more often than not, wildly and off the target….he sometimes creates chances though! By the way, the Pele Kaimana I knew from GBFC and Zambia was never as selfish as Kalaba for that matter although even he also never brought the Africa Cup home!
We call him teacher because of his intelligence, skills and speed on the ball.
He is our great midfielder and among Zambia has produced.
Don’t compare his Godfrey chitalu on goals OK.chitalu was a striker and kalaba is a midfielder!!! why comparing such?let’s be fair.
Not long ago he was the darling of the Zambian soccer lover’s but today commenting bad things on him.
Let’s change and support him if you think he is not doing fine.
To coach Wedson nyirenda,he did not left kalaba for this weekend game for any reason but because of the two yellow cards he is saving.he will come for the return game.
End of career for kalaba… who told you!!
To be honest kalaba has been the game changer for this generation of the national team, he is one of the best midfielders Zambia has ever produced, he might have scored 15 goals in 100 games but cosinder also the number of goals he has created as as a midfielder. Renard said a good day in kalaba s office is a good day for Zambia. He created 11 goals in 2012 afcon alone.
No he is not among the best midfielders. He is above average but he can’t rank with Fred kashimoto, Charles musonda, Jan Simulambo Alex Chola Zoom ndhlovu
Kalaba shouldn’t hv done wat he did during the game in Ndola,that showed In-leadership
In this part of the world, u can’t express frustration or u a ‘disciplined’. But this is normal in advanced societies. Alas, everything is suppressed! Don’t expect too much.
At his best, no current player comes close to Kalaba. We simply have a useless coach.
What does the reporter want to say? The
TP Mazembe midfielder is suspended for the first leg after accumulating two yellow cards against Nigeria and Cameroon, but is eligible for the return leg, thus his omission from the provisional squad seems to have signalled the beginning of the end of Kalaba’s national team career.
How can a suspended player’s absence signal the end of his career?
Kalaba is a game changer. Its very unfair to compare a midfielder and a striker. Its like the coach is overshadowed by the performance of the under 20 and wants to create space for them. Although its a good idea but let’s do it gradually
Kalaba, is not the same player he was, mind you he’s played for the national team for 12 years…and in those 12 years he’s had unsuccessful stints in Europe…his style of play has always been above average, not good enough for European impact.
Kalaba doesn’t have leadership qualities but he’s a talented player.
Zamfoot please come back to life, we’re missing you.
Did Kalaba tell this writer that he (Kalaba) has retired from football? Did he tell him that he will never play for Zambia again or has Zambia said Kalaba will never play for the team again? Is Kalaba out of soccer for good? The writer has so many assumptions and creates many more in the mind of the reader! Speculative journalism!