Kashimoto wants broader Under-20 selection

Zambia legend Fredrick Kashimoto has criticised the selection of Under-20 players ahead of next month’s COSAFA Cup on the Copperbelt.

Under-20 coach Charles Bwale on Wednesday unveiled a 30-member provisional squad with two foreign based players.

Bwale has summoned club-less England based striker Mwiya Malumo and Edward Chilufya of Swedish side Djurgardens.

Experienced coach Kashimoto said coaches managing junior teams should pick more players from academies.

‘I am not happy with the Under-20 team selected for COSAFA Cup. We can’t be picking Under-20 players from the Super Division. That defeats the purpose of having junior teams for developmental purposes,’ Kashimoto said.

He said junior sides should have inexperienced players for developmental purposes.

‘The selection is bad. Where are the players from the academies, Division One and Two? We must pick raw players with the aim of nurturing them, not a player who can drive the ball from corner to corner,’ he said.

However, despite kashimoto’s concerns, twenty of the 30 players in the provisional are either from Division 1 side, academies and Super Division youth teams.

Kashimoto is currently running a football academy in his home town Mufulira.

He has previously coached his childhood club Mufulira Wanderers, City of Lusaka, Prison Leopards, Muchindu and the National Womens Team.