‘Forget AFCON 2022’
…Let’s focus on rebuilding for 2023 AFCON, says Makembo
By MICHAEL MIYOBA
ZAMBIANS must forget about replacing Zimbabwe at the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations set to kick off on Sunday in Cameroon, says Zambia Sports Fans Association patron Peter Makembo.
Makembo said it was important for Zambia to focus on rebuilding for the 2023 edition to be held in Guinea after missing out on the Cameroon tournament.
He said replacing Zimbabwe at the 2022 Cameroon AFCON was an impossible wish because Zimbabwe are already in Cameroon planning for their first game against Senegal on Monday.
Makembo has called on the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) to finalise the appointment of a national team coach who will have to make sure that Zambia does not miss a fourth consecutive AFCON.
“Our focus should be placed on rebuilding a team and naming a coach who will lead us in the next AFCON qualifiers.
“Let’s accept that we are not going to Cameroon. And instead of waiting for our neighbours to be banned, let’s give them our support as they go to represent our region because even if they were to be banned at this moment.
“I don’t think we would be ready because we don’t have a coach right now and this happened in 2010 when Togo withdrew from the AFCON a few day before it kicked off after the team bus was attacked, no team was allowed to replace the Togolese,” Makembo said.
Meanwhile, football administrator Mwansa Mbulakulima says Zambia risks missing a record fourth Africa Cup of Nations with the current FAZ executive at the helm.
Mbulakulima challenged football councillors o scrutinise the performance of the current executive during the annual general meeting scheduled for March because it has caused grievous harm to the Zambian game.
“We can no longer smile but perpetually mourn our absence from a competition that for a long time became a birthright. What is obtaining is something we can’t accept!
“The FAZ meeting must ask Kamanga to step aside and pave way for other competent administrators who will not allow us to remain stuck in this corner of mourning,” Mbulakulima said.
He said Zambians can’t risk a fourth heartbreak after the current FAZ executive failed three times to qualify Zambia to the AFCON.
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