November 27, 2008
Mamelodi Sundowns coach Henri Michel has urged Zambian striker Collins Mbesuma to work hard on improving his physical fitness in order for him to be considered for team selection.
Michel has denied Mbesuma game time since taking over the reins at Sundowns with the French coach preferring to play Dario Monteiro, Katlego Mphela and Lungisani Ndlela in recent games.
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Speaking to KickOff.com after the Absa Premiership game against Orlando Pirates at Super Stadium yesterday, Michel said Mbesuma is still far from the physical fitness level that will bring him into contention for a starting line-up position.
“He is not fit and his physical condition does not allow me to play him at this moment. He is a quality player who can score goals for us, but he must work hard on his physical fitness.
“At this stage I don’t know when he is going to be ready to play; it might take some weeks for him to get to where I want him to be in terms of fitness.”
Mbesuma’s fitness has been a worry since joining Sundowns this season.
The club’s executive director of football, Ted Dumitru is on record in the past as saying that the Zambian striker is fit to play, so it is surprising now that Michel has come with a different view and referred the player back to the club’s fitness trainer, Florent Motta.
Michel also disclosed to KickOff.com that his new assistant coach is due to arrive at Chloorkop soon.
81 Comments on "Sundowns coach: Mbesuma ‘still has work to do’"
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Jiggyboy on Thu, 27th Nov 2008 12:51 PM
Players like Boka(leftback) of Ivory Coast are fat and fast but Why cant Mbesuma play. The more he plays, the more he will lose weight
Justice Kafusha on Thu, 27th Nov 2008 1:47 PM
I think this business of Mbesuma being unfit is twisting that way and this way. Bushe you guys abali ku SA and have seen Mbesuma of late, what are your comments to all this. Is it true the guy is not fit? Can someone who has seen him of late enlighten us on this issue. I do not understand this. If Mbesuma is not fit then his clubs physical trainer must be fired cause he is not doing his job properly
chipolopolo 1 on Thu, 27th Nov 2008 2:57 PM
do not judge a Book by its cover coach …..!!!i have watched Mbesuma play ,he is not as bad as he was before moving to sundowns!!!! coach don’t bring down players, the player is working hard to get to full fittness!!!!!
don’t look down collins keep working hard ….
Danny MAN on Thu, 27th Nov 2008 3:18 PM
Mbesuma is a great player and wishing him all the best!!!
AS on Thu, 27th Nov 2008 3:19 PM
Justice Kafusha, lets call a spade a spade. I remember watching Mbesuma some time in 2005 or so, when we played at Konkola stadium, when we played in the Africa cup qualifiers, the guy was clearly too heavy and that’s why he couldnt tick at Portsmouth and elsewhere. All the coaches including Patrick Phiri, Herve Renard, at Maritimo and Turkey, Moloto, and now the new coach Michel are all saying the same. Does it mean they all hate him?
We all know what is killing our boy, no discipline at all. Sad. The guy stll wants to drink too much chibuku when he comes to Zambia, even there Iam sure he is not following strict instructions. Why fire the physical trainer only over Mbesuma who doesnt want to listen. Remember the name ‘Fat Boy’ when he got furious with Renard and Kick Off magazine when he was dubbed with that name.
Personally, Iam very disppointed with him, such a waste of talent.
Bantu on Thu, 27th Nov 2008 3:47 PM
Mbesuma, Mbesuma, Mbesuma, everytime is Mbesuma. Balipwa bo, what fitness? He is in the class of other finished players like Sibusiso Zuma and Benedict Vilakazi, FORMER Bafana players. All these guys have something in common. They are european rejects. I am trying to be mean but thats the reality of the situation. If you just see a player and injury, everytime injury, just know at bali kumatelo yakupwa. I know there are genuine injuries. But aya yambi, awe nikatwishi.
Bantu on Thu, 27th Nov 2008 3:48 PM
I meant to say… I am NOT trying to be mean, but thats the reality of the situation.
Mabbwana on Thu, 27th Nov 2008 3:50 PM
Mbesuma Mbesuma Mbesuma, the same old story. Come on guys, we cant continue running a defence for our boy. If it were one or two coaches uncomfortable with his fitness problem, we could say may be they hate him, but to even list them as AS has done speaks much about the the lad.
Even T Moloto failed to use him despite alot of influence from Dimitru. Something has really gone wrong with our boy and we need to help him not defend him unsparingly.
joseph chimpampwe on Thu, 27th Nov 2008 3:56 PM
The more reason we need to move forward and forget about these dinosaurs we like crying about. Viva Kebby Hachpuka, HH, Willian Njovu, Moba etc. Best we lose with abaiche as a learning experience than with experienced guys that we have tried and tested to no avail (Sinkala, Mbesuma, Moses Sichone etc.). But chidumbo maliketi kapompa saladi (like we used to call it then!!!) bwena ubwamwaiche is there for all to see-Togo-Zambia game we saw. Mbesuma in my opinion is a spent force as he keeps going down from MBA (Portsmouth)-Portugal-Turkey-Sundowns-Luanshya Chibuku Warriors. He’ll have himself to blame having been the most talented Zambian player since the Great Kalu-it pins me as one of his one time very ardent fans.
Justice Kafusha on Thu, 27th Nov 2008 3:57 PM
AS and josef thanks for your contributions. However I have just one question, why does HR pick Mbesuma to our squad and give him game time when he is not fit? Maybe Mbesuma has to change his drinking and eating habits. This issue has been on for a long time now and needs to be to rest
Bantu on Thu, 27th Nov 2008 4:05 PM
Justice, the reason why HR calls Mbesuma is because of Kalusha. There certain players Kalusha has influence on and Mbesuma is one of them. Chalibipa mune.
Official on Thu, 27th Nov 2008 4:07 PM
The Other day i watched Thomas Mhlambo the SSport presenter on soccer chat.
What was being said is that apart from not being fit Mbesuma is just not the mbesuma they knew during the Kaizer chiefs time.
For me i think somehow i would love to judge him even based on the behavior.
Football requires alot of descipline and Mbesuma has actually failled to show his disciplined side.
When he was in Europe there was always a story after the game.
Even last time he came for Togo game he still remained after his mates had gone back to base.
Josef sorry to disagree with you but sometimes if desciplined the guy was better off married and staying faithful unlike the stories of today this woman mailo another until u get caught in the papers.
Behind every succesful man is a woman they say, so i believe with a Gud wife and descipline he could hav excelled.
He had a chance to make real money and with proper management he is destined never to suffer again.
As for me that is his end.
Justice Kafusha on Thu, 27th Nov 2008 4:10 PM
Bantu Zuma played for FC Copenhagen here in Denamrk for many seasons and was the best player throughout until he moved to Katongos present club at the age of 30. I know Zuma personally, as we were together at African partys. he was one of the most remarkable and colorful african players to have played in Denmark, apart from Mwape Miti and Biri Biri from Gambia.
Anyway guys let us look at the players we can count on in march. I welcome Sinkala will be back, but the guys in Finland should be given a chance and so should Edwin Phiri and Boyd Mwila and even Sichone. The other player I think will be our weapon is Fwayo Tembo. I have faith in this boy. Currently he is being rated as the best palyer at his club, pound for pound. The boy will go far pantu alomfwa.
I am really worried cause soon we are going to face ba Egypt ( in 4 months time) pepi sana
Bantu on Thu, 27th Nov 2008 4:13 PM
Thanks for the data, Justice, about Zuma. Atleast Zuma did something whilst in europe and I am sure he has invested for his future.
Justice Kafusha on Thu, 27th Nov 2008 4:22 PM
Mwaiche KN when kan we expect him back in form pantu bonse twalolela twanaka
Bola Panshi on Thu, 27th Nov 2008 4:38 PM
Nice one ba Justice, I second you on the issue of focusing on the March game and the ones to follow.
The coming in of Sinkala is a very positive gesture. Like that HR will have a good reason to either include or exclude a player (after a thorough assessment). All potential Zedian players, at home and abroad should be well assessed and in the end come up with a “PERFECT BLEND” on a “PERFECT FORMULA” of play.
Fwayo for sure is the future. He has matured already and yet still young. I am also impressed with his character. Four months pepi sana zo ona. The time is now!!!
jeff windhoek on Thu, 27th Nov 2008 4:43 PM
I personally think mbesuma must also do his part in terms of displine ,not to eat too much.I think if he works a little harder to loose a couple of pounds he will be ok coz the talent is still with him. Albert bwalya was also almost the weight of mbesuma but he still played well.Can some please comment on the zambian player at TP mazembe??
Georgia Russia on Thu, 27th Nov 2008 4:45 PM
we just need to help the young man,truly if hes 24 according to media reports,then mbesuma can reagin his form and be wat we all knew wen he was at kaiser chiefs.maybe the biggest mistake he made was to leave maritimo were he was club top scorer.mbesuma has been advised wrongly werever hes gone,the best mbesuma can do is come back home and try to play for some local club like zesco united,i can assure u that u wont know him after a season
Georgia Russia on Thu, 27th Nov 2008 4:48 PM
i very much agree with justice that fwayo is player to watch,however we shud not over rate him for now.i strongly belive fwayo,cliford,felix,kebby,mayuka,kalaba are players who capable of bringing back the glory days we had in the 90′s
BA ZAMBIA on Thu, 27th Nov 2008 4:54 PM
awe its not defence but i think we are too hard on mbesuma,only those who have not taken ken interest in him from the days at roan united will condemn,indeed discipline is a factor but even one of zambia’s gratest sons and my hero Kalusha Bwalya had used to come for games late,remember the Zambia vs Gabon game?Kalusha arrived at 13 hours and played at 15,well he scored the only goal.
but my point is quite ok he is indesciplied,but alledging that he was faking his injuries is not fair, we saw how he played against south africa in independence stadium,he was the only foreign player with katongo who showed even with the lose.
i remember him being taken off on a strecher in that game.
all in all my opinion is that he deserves more game time. i dont agree that kalu has a hand in Herve calling Mbesuma coz one of Kalu’s boys if you follow soccer is boyd mwila,but i think its about a coach seeing the potential and seeing that he is putting in all he can.
To Mbesuma,Criticism is here to build us and to make us strong and to show us our mistakes,dont give up,its a phase in life of football,we have dry seasons,even rooney had them,Gerard saw them Roanald went throgh, you are a conquerer.Go Zambia GO. Viva Mbesuma
chamwe kaira in Windhoek on Thu, 27th Nov 2008 5:21 PM
Mbesuma just needs a Bemba translator. Thats all. Maybe, he can’s get the coach’s intrunctions in English. He ticks for Zambia because intructions in Bemba from Lwandimina are clear like: Bola Panshi, botuka, umuntu oyo, mani oni (man on) and senta (centre). I suggest that Sundowns employ one of those boys from CB in Joburb to act as translator.
Seen from afar on Thu, 27th Nov 2008 6:49 PM
Seeing that picture of him in a Portsmouth shirt is another really sad Zambian story. If only he put away that sitter in front of goal, i’m just thinking of what might have been. There are so many questions about Mbesuma i would like answered. Maybe Zamfoot should attempt to interview him (without the Blog comments). If even Sundowns will not show confidence in him, maybe it’s time to move on. As the words of Felix say, better to play semi professional than not at all. I really want to know where his head is at, I want to know what he thinks is realistically possible at this stage…
Big Steve from SA on Fri, 28th Nov 2008 8:30 AM
Eish!! Another mbesuma issue. Its sad and i know after reading all the comments it will sound like a cliche but it is very true that the boy just does not have the will power to maintain the life of a professional soccer player. When it was anounced by Dimitru that he was fit, he actually did look very fit. The fat turned into toned muscle. He looked good and ready but seeing him now, you wonder. It is obvious he has an Oprah Winfrey type weight problem. To put it on he just needs to be at Mcdonalds a couple of times and bam its back. ssadly for him it does not take time. Now this is were he just does not cut it. The physical trainer did his job but maintining what they had built on is up to the player. You canot walk out of gym straight into nandos. Its not about his game anymore its about his head.
Onzuna on Fri, 28th Nov 2008 8:38 AM
Mbesuma should wake up now!.That time he scored over 30 goals in a season is long gone and he shouldnt think he is special anymore.Let his discpline improve,then he will stay long in football.We are proud of what he has done,but the time has been too short to called a ‘Hero’.
m.lusengo S.A on Fri, 28th Nov 2008 8:56 AM
mbesuma,mbesuma kajiya .guys let me tell you something about collins he is up to now the striker i sow 3,4 years back,i have seen him play and i know still can deliver for mother zambia believe it or not that is’s the fact,lets talk about a striker,a striker is someone who is able to hold the ball for others to take positions,to score goals and i have seen him do that, a good example is the last game he played for the dawns in which i personaly think he gave it 99%and yet some coach is saying he is not fit,i think the best for collins is just find another club. chipolopolo for life
Dinamo on Fri, 28th Nov 2008 10:21 AM
Its Mbesuma fit,fat,unfit can’t run & a b c d again!!!.Going through the comments,it tells me that most fans miss the days the guy used to bang in those goals 3-4 years ago.We must accept that this guy is no longer the same & move on b’coz for us to make a formidable team to take us to RSA 2010,we shouldn’t make a mistake of turning our national team into some rehabilitation centre for under perfoming players.It should strictly be for all deserving & performing players.If Mbesuma is unfit,HR should turn his eyes to Nchimunya,Boyd Mwila,Kombe,the guy at TP Mazembe & other Zambian players.Mbesuma should only be called when he improves period!!!.
jc on Sat, 29th Nov 2008 1:13 PM
Dinamo you are spot on. we canot be talking about mbesumas fitness for 3 years now. Its time we moved on. This is where, unfotunately, the challange is. To find quality players.
All these boys mentioned have been tried before, Mwila, Kombe, Nchimunya (playing in a non descript league). Perhaps the guy at TP should be given serious consideration. We should also hope that the young taletnts abroad in Mayuka, Kalaba and Fwayo blossom in the next 3 years so that perhaps in 2012 we could have some guenuine “stars”.
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