Former Zambia and Roan United legendary defender Ken Banda has charged that huge wages are making the current crop of players indiscipline.
Some players in the FAZ Super Division get up to K20, 000 as monthly package.
Banda, 75, believes heft wages contributes to high levels of indiscipline among players.
“During our days as players in the 1960s and 1970s we used to play just for passion but now it is good to note that there is a lot of money involved in football,” the former KK 11 star noted.
“Players getting a lot of money these days tend to lose their mind. If you are not mentally strong and start getting a lot of money it’s difficult to be disciplined,” Banda said.
He cautioned players against being indiscipline.
“You can only succeed in football if you have discipline,” he said.
Banda is said to have been the first Zambian to attend trials in England when he spent several weeks training at Leeds United in 1963.
He was also voted the best central defender on the Copperbelt just after 1960.
20,000 is a lot of money?Sir, where have you been since the 60s? Things have changed. These are professional footballers and football is a business now, not a social activity like it was during your time. In your time you had full time jobs in the mines and football was a side hussle. These players wake and report for work at a football pitch and knock off later from a football pitch
Please forgive the grandpa. Ba Lusaka times don’t be unfair on grandpa. Its like an 18yrs old asking her grandmother how to dress properly she will tell her about indeleshi.
“Banda is said to have been the first Zambian to attend trials in England when he spent several weeks training at Leeds United in 1963.” It appears we consider attending trials as an achievement. This is where we have lost it as Zambians. We even consider qualifying for a tournament as an achievement. The real achievement is clinching a contract in competitive leagues (not failing trials) and winning silverware
Said to be?? Ba LT nano. You are journalists you don’t rely on hearsay. You’re supposed to confirm for us the readers not feeding us on gossip
I think probably this is right amongst a certain group of players who tend to be overcome by the available resources leading into practices that reveal a lack of discipline.However,i think the increase of wages in football is good for the game.What we should be focusing on is facilitating through the clubs and indeed FAZ to have deliberate programs that help footballers in the areas of discipline and prudent financial management. We can also note that it is not money which is bad,rather the love of money.Money requires wisdom to proper application hence it is that we should be more concerned with.
K20 000 per month is not enough money for a professional footballer, maybe we should be suggesting K100 000 per week, then you can retain players within the country and only sell when there is an offer from Europe. This too could grow the economy in that players will be paying huge amount of taxes and clubs could be selling players at a reasonable price not at a give away. There is a high risk of injury, so paying less does not help and has a knock-off effect on the economy.
This debate ended in 19 eighty something. Football is now about managing team finances and players so you just need to adapt. Ask Arsene Wenger
Ken Banda attended trials together with another Roan United player, John “Ginger” Pensulo. The two players were amongst the top players in then Northern Rhodesia (now Zambia).
Please spare the old man
aBanda namwe sure, muna chaya bola yaliti?
Personally i have never heard of you.
However to mention that ZMK20,000.00 is too much
for a super division player is neither here nor there, its baseless.
For arguments sake, how much does the best soccer player in the world
and his categorical peers earn per week… and relate that to his/their
level of discipline thereof.
Nkalani che azibambo!
Mmmmmmmmmmm the old man has been grilled ok enough. We don’t want our soccer stars to end up as destitutes. We encourage them to invest from the same wages.so question of playing just for passion of the game sir is out
Nothing wrong in paying players what they deserve, but nevertheless the old man has a valid point, the current game is more about money than passion….for example, when Kalusha, Charles, Jonson, Stone and Lucky, played in Europe, they used to report for national duty using their own money, inspite of them not earning anywhere near what European leagues are paying today…if anything in their prime they were far more skillful than most players we watch in European leagues today…because they had passion and discipline.
I didn’t know that our players are paid such low level peanuts to be honest!! That is why we have struggled to win anything major on the continent or global stage. K20,000???? Some people drink that in one night. How much per week? Roughly K5,000, or $500. C’mon! I’m just surprised that Players from other Sub-Saharan African countries (excluding South Africa) are clamoring to play in Zambian league, so may be K20,000 is more than players in other African countries get paid. Logically, therefore, please respect the opinion of our Old Man Ken Banda, he may have a point. For some players, K20,000 might be too much. In some African countries that is heavenly salary for a player.
KK XI star concerned about huge player wages