Comments on: Pharaohs too powerful for Wasps

By: Go Rwanda

Go Rwanda — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 12:22:32 +0000

Few points about the referee of the Egypt-Rwanda game:

1. Imaginary penalty offered to the Egyptians when Rwanda was trying to equalize, therefore ending the contest and de-motivating the Rwandan players.

2. The best defensive player of Rwanda got red-carded after 2 yellow cards, therefore offering to Egypt even bigger chances to score more.

3. Offered the possibility to Egypt to score at the 6th minute of extra-time against a 10-man team while the official extra-time was only 4 minutes.

4. Gave 2 yellow cards and one red card to Rwanda while he did not give a single yellow card to Egypt.

Now you tell me, how can African Football ever progress ?

By: FIFA

FIFA — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 03:51:16 +0000

we just need to learn how to bribe.Bribery has become part of the game.

By: Gametime12

Gametime12 — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 15:40:24 +0000

JC If Zambia was in the same region as the US then we would have a better or similar record. The US is just polishing up on its game same process the Zambian national team is going through. The only team that “looks” solid and complete in our group is Algeria. This is because of what they have achieved thus far in the group. So if the other teams are struggling as well, why put off Zambia? You cant tell me Egypt is going to make it while We share the same number of points. I understand that when Algeria shamed us at home, our chances of qualifying slipped away from our grasp. I’ve watched all the games in our group, all i can say is that We still have a chance. Its a very slim chance, but its still a chance.

By: Uncle Bobs

Uncle Bobs — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 14:28:18 +0000

Apologies Ba Big Steve from SA, for my cynism. Like Gametime 12 has said, i just don’t agree that Sinkala will make us qualify for SA2010 over and above what we have. Unless all what we want is for him to make some difference (VERY MINIMAL i can assure you, yes then i will agree because it is not like he’s better than the opponents we will be facing who are at more competitive clubs and miles ahead of him.Eeh he’s a Zambian and deserves a call-up if the coach desires(a point i have always belaboured) but as a privelege and not a right to being called.

By: jc

jc — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 13:27:19 +0000

Chamz and Anonymous,

I take note of your good comments. Please dont misconstrue me. I am as patrotic as you are and i will be happy to see Zambia qualify to the World Cup. We have a young and surely promising team, no doubt.

What I am sounding out is a warning based on pragmatism. There is no need in us massaging ourselves with dreams and squad permutations without taking into account reality on the ground.

Our team is not yet solid and complete.This can be evidenced based on the last two games against Rwanda and Algeria. More the reason why some pundits on this site keep calling for all sorts of names to be recalled to the team.

Yes I watched the US. But the US are a proven side not only in the just ended tournament. They have had decent performances before and are a determined lot considering that they are not a major footballing nation. Zambia is not a proven side and has been an average side in Africa for that matter, for more than a decade now.

As we approach the next three games, the Technical Bench should therefore be strategic. My view is that we should avoid defeat in Kigali at all costs. The Rwandese are athletic and pyhiscal. Our Technical bench has to look long and hard on this. Egypt as I have said before, are a proven side and it will not be easy in Chilis. Again, we should avoid a defeat and dont slip the way we did against Algeria. These two games will determine our destiny in AFCON. One thing that we should also note is that Algeria and Egypt are scoring goals. Our Technical Bench has to do something about scoring, seriously.

There should definately be a better performance than the last two games both tactically and scoring wise.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 21:35:03 +0000

Chamz :JC, if you are Zambian then, you have the typical Zambian mentality of giving up, we have the same points with Egpyt, Algeria is ahead by 3 and you say the race is between Algeria and Egpyt? Egpyt has to go to Kigali and Zambia. I really can’t believe this mentality. Did you watch the US in SA? The lost two games but reached final. Just because we lost at home to Algeria does not mean we can not beat them away. Remember the 3-1 bashing of SA in Cape Town? I hope the players are not thinking like fans on this forum.

JC`s mentality should not be mistaken for Zambian mentality Please if the guy is a pesimist .Let him wallow in his own negativity .So Chamz dont worry about JC he definately wont be in the starting eleven when we go to algeria

By: Gametime12

Gametime12 — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 20:46:59 +0000

Big Steve I don’t think there’s much Sinkala can do at this point. I say its better to use the youngster as We are preparing them for the future. I once was a big fan of Sinkala, I remember when they played at the U20 WC. You’ll agree with me when i say Sinkala was a good leader in that team, but He wasn’t the best player. This was also true in the national team He has never been our best player. Like Uncle Bob’s put it, if he was on the same level as the Eto’s then I’d be asking for him to be included in the team. At this point I think its best for HR to work with the tools on hand, shuffle his hand and see if He can come up with a winning formula.

By: Chamz

Chamz — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 10:41:07 +0000

Uncle Bob, you have made my day!! ha! you guys have a wit sense of humour.
I agree with you, I don’t think the players we are crying for will make a difference, we just need to score-that is our problem.

By: Big Steve from SA

Big Steve from SA — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 10:36:15 +0000

Uncle Bobs :Bribing referees (by the way a strong rumour is that one of our ZAMBIAN character was caught red-handed trying to bribe the referee in Chingola during the Germany World Cup qualifiers in that match Senegal beat us). This is a match again a TRIED and TESTED Laughter Chilembe was brought back by the same Kalu people are accusing of hating Sinkala). The rumour further says the caught character could be a top ranking official (maybe chairman!!!) of a reknowned Zambian Club. Rumour further says, even recently attempts were made to bribe a referee. TRIED and TESTED: For once i urge HR to bring back the so called TRIED and TESTED that are not even better than Ahmed Hassan, Aboutrika, Mido, Zaki who are our opponents that the so called inexperienced boys managed to hold but who had beaten our teams comprising the TRIED and TESTED players. The last time the TRIED and TESTED Sichone was tried at Independence Stadium, he was a disaster. Can we have the following-Harry Milanzi, Sinkala, Sichone, Isaac Chansa, Davis Phiri etc so that this thing of TRIED & TESTED players is a thing of the past. With or without the TRIED and TESTED players, my opinion is that the results would not have been the same, unless the TRIED and TESTED were in mould of Drogba, Kalou,Yaya, Kolo, Eto, Zaki, Mido etc playing for top flight teams in the same countries where our so called TRIED and TESTED are wallowing and keep devaluing in terms of league teams they play for. In all fairness the youngsters have done commendably well and i can assure you that the TRIED and TESTED would never have fared any better. Please, please, Kalu and HR bring back these dinosaurs and let’s see whether we will do any better that we didn’t do before we them. For all i know when and not if we falter, people will rush to say that we brought them too late and had they been there before we would have gone to SA2010. For once i cry that these dinosaurs be brought back seeing as indespensability is the way to go for us.

You make it sound like there is a whole list of names that people are calling for. Noone has ever called for Davies Phiri or Milanzi. I think in all fairness the one name that has popped up and for ver god reason is that of Sinkala. We simply dont have anyone that is a natural in that position at the moment.

By: Uncle Bobs

Uncle Bobs — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 10:00:32 +0000

Bribing referees (by the way a strong rumour is that one of our ZAMBIAN character was caught red-handed trying to bribe the referee in Chingola during the Germany World Cup qualifiers in that match Senegal beat us). This is a match again a TRIED and TESTED Laughter Chilembe was brought back by the same Kalu people are accusing of hating Sinkala). The rumour further says the caught character could be a top ranking official (maybe chairman!!!) of a reknowned Zambian Club. Rumour further says, even recently attempts were made to bribe a referee.

TRIED and TESTED: For once i urge HR to bring back the so called TRIED and TESTED that are not even better than Ahmed Hassan, Aboutrika, Mido, Zaki who are our opponents that the so called inexperienced boys managed to hold but who had beaten our teams comprising the TRIED and TESTED players. The last time the TRIED and TESTED Sichone was tried at Independence Stadium, he was a disaster. Can we have the following-Harry Milanzi, Sinkala, Sichone, Isaac Chansa, Davis Phiri etc so that this thing of TRIED & TESTED players is a thing of the past. With or without the TRIED and TESTED players, my opinion is that the results would not have been the same, unless the TRIED and TESTED were in mould of Drogba, Kalou,Yaya, Kolo, Eto, Zaki, Mido etc playing for top flight teams in the same countries where our so called TRIED and TESTED are wallowing and keep devaluing in terms of league teams they play for.

In all fairness the youngsters have done commendably well and i can assure you that the TRIED and TESTED would never have fared any better. Please, please, Kalu and HR bring back these dinosaurs and let’s see whether we will do any better that we didn’t do before we them. For all i know when and not if we falter, people will rush to say that we brought them too late and had they been there before we would have gone to SA2010. For once i cry that these dinosaurs be brought back seeing as indespensability is the way to go for us.