GOVERNMENT is disappointed with the performance of various national soccer teams.Minister of Youth and Sport Vincent Mwale said in an interview with journalists at his office in Lusaka yesterday that the nosedive is worrying.
Mwale said Government has put logistics in place to ensure that soccer standards thrive.
“I do not know what the problem is but I think the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) would know better because we have created a conducive environment for sports,” he said.
Mwale said it is unfortunate that the country ,which is a footballing nation, is not performing to expectation at the international level.
On Sunday, the under-23 lost 1-2 to Nigeria in the 2015 Congo Brazzaville All-Africa Games qualifier in Lusaka while the national women’s team failed to qualify for the Brazzaville finals after going down 6-5 on aggregate to Tanzania.
The Chipolopolo, under-20 and under-17 teams were eliminated in the group stages at the 2015 Equatorial Guinea Africa Cup of Nations, Senegal Africa Youth and Niger Africa Junior Championships, respectively.
And Mwale said his ministry has received a budget from FAZ over the engagement of the national team coach.
“The amount is substantial and as a ministry we do not run the treasury. So we have to make wide consultations before any decision can be made,” he said.
Mwale said Government does not want the Dario Bonetti saga to repeat itself.
Last month, Government released US$421, 670 as compensation for former national team coach Bonetti.
Bonetti was dismissed on October 10, 2011, two days after guiding the Chipolopolo to the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations finals, where Zambia triumphed.
He took the matter to FIFA, who ruled that he must be paid his dues. Zambia Daily Mail
