By MICHAEL MIYOBA
ZAMBIA national soccer team’s failure to beat Lesotho and eSwatini at the ongoing Cosafa Cup in South Africa has angered Zambian fans who have challenged the Chipolopolo coach Milutin “Micho” Sredojevic to resign for failing to make an impact almost two years after he was engaged as coach.
Damiano Academy FC proprietor Damiano Mutale said it is unacceptable that the Chipolopolo coach, despite receiving a huge salary for FAZ and government, is failing to beat teams like Lesotho and eSwatini.
Mutale said the Serbian has failed to rebuild the Chipolopolo despite having been given a lot of chances to redeem Zambian football fortunes.
He said it is shocking that the Chipolopolo coach has failed to come up with the best 11 due to his inconsistencies when it comes to player selection.
Mutale said it is painful that the Chipolopolo is now losing games to eSwatini and Lesotho who are considered minions in the Southern African region.
He wondered how Zambia would achieve its dream of qualifying for the 2022 Qatar World Cup when they are failing to beat teams like eSwatini and Lesotho.
Mutale said “Micho” should resign for failing to motivate players whose performance has been below par at the regional championship in South Africa.
“The coach should just resign because it is unacceptable for eSwatini to beat us, it is unacceptable rather than apologising to Zambians he should just step down.
He has been given enough time to rebuild the team but he has failed. In each and every game we have new players and you are saying that you are going to qualify for the World Cup when you are failing to assemble a team and the players are not motivated,” Mutale said.
Meanwhile, Zambia Sports Fans Association Patron Peter Makembo has encouraged the Chipolopolo not to give up on their ambitions to defend the Cosafa Cup.
Makembo said the Chipolopolo who are bottom in Group A with no points, still have a chance to qualify for the 2021 Cosafa Cup.
After failing to beat eSwatini and Lesotho, Makembo said Zambia will have to make sure that they beat Botswana and South Africa in the last group A fixture to make it to the next round of the competition.
