Papers-Zambia to play for Levy
- Monday, August 25, 2008, 8:03
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The extracts on this page are taken from selected national newspapers. The views expressed here do not necessarily reflect the views of Zambianfootball.net
Namulambe appeals to FIFA -The Post
SPORTS minister Gabriel Namulambe yesterday appealed to FIFA and CAF to heed Zambia’s cry and postpone the 2010 Africa/World Cup qualifier against Togo scheduled for next week.The Group 11 encounter between Zambia and Togo falls within the 21-day mourning period of President Levy Mwanawasa who died at Percy Military Hospital in Paris, France on August 19.
“I believe the people at CAF and FIFA are human beings,” Namulambe said. “FIFA and CAF are patient enough to listen to our cry.”
And Zambia national team captain Chris Katongo has stressed that victory against Togo would be the best present the national soccer team players could give to the late President for his support to soccer.
“The only thing we can give the late President is to win the match against Togo. We can’t afford to lose two things at the same time- our beloved President and the match against Togo,” he told Times of Zambia in an interview from his base in Germany.
“After mourning, we should at least give the nation something to smile about. This game is a do-or-die. We just have to play our lungs out,” he said.
Katongo said President Mwanawasa gave so much support to sport and soccer in particular and that the kind of support he rendered to the national team should not be put to waste.
“It is really sad because we don’t know if we will have another president who will support sport the way Dr Mwanawasa did. The support he gave to the national team was massive.
“It’s very important to honour such a great man and the best and most efficient way we can do this as a team is to win the Togo match for him in all possible ways,” he said.
Katongo said whether the match was postponed or not, it still had to be played and the players knew the burden they carried for the nation.
“Whichever way they take, it will not affect the team. The most important thing is to adequately prepare and we also have to be patient and remain focused. Whether they postpone or not, I don’t think it will change anything. The bottom line is to win the game whether it is played on September 6 or later,” he said.
The Zambia Daily Mail carried a similar story to Times of Zambia with three players declaring that Zambia will do it for the late President.
“A win against Togo is a must. We will dedicate that game to the late President,” said South African based goalkeeper Kennedy Mweene, who plays for Free State Stars.
.Defender Joseph Musonda, who plays for Golden Arrows said he was ready to contribute to Zambia’s success over Togo.
“We were in camp for sometime preparing for the new season which is starting this Saturday and I can assure you that I’m more than ready for the game against Togo,” Musonda said.
Kalaba, who features for Portuguese second division side Gil Vicente, said having lost 0-1 to Togo in Accra on May 31, the Chipolopolo were in a hurry to revenge
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With due respect to the late His Excellecncy Levy Patrick Mwanawasa, SC, the match should go ahead as scheduled. The boys should wear black armbands and a minute or two of silence should be observed. If we win on the day, what a better way of honouring our late President. Already there reports that FIFA has already dispatched tickets for the officials to officiate the match on Sept. 6. The boys will be working on the day just like all other workers in the country. May the soul of our President rest in eternal peace.
The match should go ahead. This happens all over the world. Players wear black armbands during such situations. Why should the match be postponed?
the match should go ahead,especially that hes gonna be buried before the match is played,,where ever he is he will be the happiest person to seethe boys wins
In Spain, 153 pipo died in a plane crash two or three days before Real Madrid played Valencia (Super Cup) which Real won but they did not postpone the match. With due respect, may the match be played.
Real Madrid, Zanaco Fan……..
Oops it’s a tricky one. But whenever the match will be played let the boys’ do it for LEVY.
Those of us who will be @ Konkola Stadium we shud be dressed in all black outfit.
And please FAZ ask Nike to make a Black replica jersey for the national team and the fans.
“Mweene building from the back to TANA…Tana to Andrew Sinkala…look at his composure on the ball! He is making things look easy!!!
Sinkala to Chris… Chris to Henry Banda. Banda does his trade mark step overs…crosses in from the left.
Mbesuma connects with a header. It’s a Gooooooaal!!!! Mbesuma is back! He does it for Levy!!
The rest is history. Zambia will qualify to the next round. we can bet on this one
Firstly I fail to understand why the national Morning was extented from the initial 7 days to 21 days. Iam a true Zambian and really feel the loss of president and I support the paying of last respect to him but I also feel every thing could have been done just as well in 7 days.
I totally cocur with views above, the match should go on. Lets play and win for the sake of our late President.
With due respect to the views put up, I am of the opinion that the match should be postponed. What we have is 21 days of national mourning where it has been agreed that there’s not going to be activities of an entertainment nature. Clubs are training behind closed doors, flag flying at half mast e.t.c. Guys, we love the game, but waiting a week or two wont do much harm. Flight arrangements can be rescheduled. Spain is mourning plane crash victims, Zambia is mourning a president. Unless we are redefining the national mourning because of the game.
I agree with mabbwana, we have to be strong and steadfast with decisions made of this nature. We cannot compromise what has happened all for one game. It has been decided, 21 days of mourning, period. Lets not start compromising what 21 days of National mourning is and who and what it affects is. Lets mourn our president, this game we can always come back to. If we are prepared we will beat Togo regardless if the game is played today or tomorrow. The guys can play and dedicate the game to our president even after the 21 days. I state again, the ticket story is such a lame excuse.
It is a law to accord a president 21 days of national mourning. The game is after the burial and knowing fifa they can give us a non fifa sanctioned date for postponment. That can end up costing us all the professionals due to club commitments. The best for the nation is to go ahead, dedicate the game in his honour and follow normal procedure as stipulated by my colleagues above. M.H.S.R.I.P
I Disagree with you mabbwana and Friends.If Levy was alive,he wouldnt have supported the idea of postponing the match.Kabinga Pande tells us that the last words Our beloved President said were about the work attitude we Zambians have.President Mwanawasa wished that we all worked very hard like the Egyptians do.I think there is alot of meaning in what he told Pande than thinking of sitting for 21days mourning him.Let the match go ahead,it will give us the hunger to work hard and give Our President a smile wherever he is right now(May His Soul Rest In Ertenal Peace).Its the same type of loss we suffered when we had the Gabon Air Disaster,we never sat back but continued baptising the likes of Morocco and Zimbabwe to qualify to the Africa Cup.
Viva Levy,Viva Zambia,Viva Chipolopolo.
Kalampa are related to Dazzle or u are Dazzle! I love your passion.
let the match go ahead coz the guys in the team by then will still have the pain within themselves of loosing a dear beloved president and hence the dogged desire to be victorious