Friday, March 29, 2024

Katongo Part 2: On Mweene and veteran players

Share

Ex- Zambia captain Christopher Katongo has weighed-in on bench-warming goalkeeper Kennedy Mweene but also warned that the Zambia bench must pragmatic.

Mweene has spent the last two seasons on the bench at Mamelodi Sundowns but has continued to enjoy first choice status with Chipolopolo despite his lack of game time.

“I think it not is easy for me to say this or that, to criticize any players or talk about the truth but what is important is for the coach to select the best keeper or best player who will bring more honour to the country,” Katongo told journalists in Johannesburg.
“Otherwise he needs to follow people who have more game time and who are doing well at club level.

“But we also need the experienced players.

“This is what is killing Zambian football; when you take out all the experienced players and bring in the young players.”

Katongo said the onus was on Chipolopolo coach Wedson Nyirenda to find a rational balance.

“I think they (Nyirenda) have a different philosophy,” Katongo said.
“For me I want to tell my coach that he needs the players who have been there, he still needs the players who have an experience of being at the AFCON.

“He needs the people who have grip on what is happening .And no matter what, he needs those people.”

Katongo also warned that even the World’s elite coaches knew the importance of a balanced team and being open-minded.

“By the way in this World, you must be ready to be thought, whether you are a top coach, whether you are Mourinho or Guardiola,” Katongo said.

“These top level coaches can still be taught. So if our African coaches are ready to be like that, I think we can produce a coach who will represent Africa well at the World Cup and be successful like Herve Renard.”

13 COMMENTS

  1. please CAN YOU INTERVIEW CHRIS KATONGO in bemba because all the soccer stories he has brought dont make sense, its so dificult to UNDERSTAND what he is UP TO, But i guess if he was asked in bemba we can appreciate his comments in soccer as he is the ONLY zambian captain to LIFT an AFCON not even kalusha or stone nyirenda

  2. I read his two interviews one on the coach Nyirenda where he hinted that he had no personal relationship with the coach and now on Keeper Kennedy Mweene. In both interviews “What is the message that Christopher Katongo is trying to communicate?

  3. No message just contradicting himself pantu baliteya sana bola. Maybe he wants to manage the national team, but better start from a club.

  4. You are spot on Mr. Katongo. We need a balance in our current national team. it is up to the coach to take the advice or not. You cannot just get ride of all the old players and expect to win. We need experience . I don’t see us qualifying with players like Kapumbu, Ngonga. Kabaso Choongo is better than Kapumbu.

  5. Chris is right..only those with football knowledge understand this. We appreciate the current transformation but as hinted by Chris…the team needs a balance which currently is missing.

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