Andrew Kamanga’s Efforts Bearing Fruits

By James Mweemba,

We saw this in him from way back. It was coming slowly but surely, maybe slightly slower and hazy for the naysayers, but coming anyway.

It was easy to see the building blocks, but there are certain things which can only be seen by those who want to or care, others will never see it even in a million times. They choose blindness as an option. Such options will always be there – the good thing is that it is allowed to have option thoughts.  It’s a democracy.

Unfortunately for Kamanga, he started from a high baseline, but a highly skewed one. Zambia had won the AFCON a few years before him – and with him coming to the helm of football, everyone wanted better than that. Something like more AFCONs and or better still, even a world cup appearance. To start from such a high is not easy, the almost sure way is to go down …

… and down he went. We missed a few AFCON appearances in his reign and continued to fail to qualify for the world cup. But a strategist that he is, he knew that success doesn’t come from just hot air, some of which he contributed to himself by making a few promises here and there. He had to go on the ground, and put the basics first.

1. Equality.
2. Equity.
3. Grassroots soccer.
4. Hyped lower leagues everywhere, every province.
5. Hyped district leagues.
6. School football.
7. Age categories
8. In all the above, add women football.
9. In all avoid personalised deals.
10. A listening government.

One simple strategy, fund them all, be fair. Get good coaches. Clearly this is stuff for the long term gains. The same ones we are seeing now.

1. We have since qualified for the next AFCON.
2. Our women qualified for the world cup.
3. Our women went to the last Olympics.
4. Our women came third in the last AFCON, beating a top notch Nigeria team.
5. In the world Cup preps, our women beat Germany, a second ranked team in the world.

Etc

And the big one, also alluded to earlier under the tag fairness or equality, and brought out by your good self sir Fred, both teams, men and women, will be getting a $5000 as winning bonus, but only in AFCON and World Cup appearances or games.

You see now why we have stopped the Kamanga must go nonsense. Our eyes have been opened now and we can see. If not yet, then take a deep breath, then out, in, then out … continue for a couple of minutes. Stop. Now, try to see Kamanga as an individual, don’t compare him to anyone for now, just him alone. Look at his plans- and then make your assessment again.

Ofcourse you won’t see a Jesus Christ, but definitely a man who is trying