December 24, 2009
One of Zambia's important players will not be AFCON because of a 'Gentleman's aggreement.'
Chipolopolo Boys trainer Herve Renard has surprisingly left out French based winger Jonas Sakuwaha from his 26-man squad which will set base in South Africa so that the player can concentrate on his club duties as first revealed by Zambianfootball.net on Tuesday.
Renard said he had held discussions with Sakuwaha and sympathised with his situation.
“Over the last week, I have talked to Jonas about the Africa Cup but he has requested that I leave him out of the training camp and even the final tournament because he wants to concentrate on his club and January is a crucial period for him because that is the time the French league cup is played and Jonas says his coach wants him for that period,” the Frenchman has been quoted as saying.
In another controversial move, Renard has named Angola based midfielder Danny Hangunyu, a player he has never seen and watched play since he took of the reigns of the national team in May 2008.
Nigerian based striker Signs Chibambo and Collins Mbesuma are also in the squad. New inclusions are Zanaco duo Charles Siyingwa and Stoppilla Sunzu. 2007 African Player Young of the Year Clifford Mulenga comes in as a direct replacement for Sakuwaha.
Chris and Felix Katongo were named man of the match in the Egypt and Cameroon match respectively
The Katongo brothers, Felix and Chris who have been spotted in the country for the last four days will be looking to replicate their impressive performance they showed at the Ghana 2008 African Cup of Nations.
Goalkeeper Kalililo Kakonje who is graduating from the ‘bachelorhood’ this Friday in Lusaka with his best man Kampamba Chintu will join camp on Saturday when the team leaves for South Africa.
The players have been given a day off to celebrate Christmas.
The Zambia squad:
1. Mweene Kennedy – GK, Free State Stars
2. Kakonje Kalililo – GK, Amazulu FC
3. Banda Jacob – GK, Zesco United
4. Musonda Joseph – Golden Arrows
5. Nyirenda Thomas – Zanaco
6. Mbola Emmanuel – Yerevan Pyunik
7. Kampamba Chintu – Amazulu
8. Banda Dennis – Green Buffaloes
9. Siyingwa Charles – Zanaco
10. Hichani Hiomnde – Lusaka Dynamos
11. Sunzu Stoppila – Zanaco
12. Kasonde Francis – Al Suwaiq
13. Chansa Isaac – IFK Helsingborg
14. Njobvu William – Kyiriat Shomne
15. Kalaba Rainford – Uniao de Leira
16. Chivuta Noah – Maritzburg United
17. Katongo Felix – Mamelodi Sundowns
18. Clifford Mulenga – Mpumalanga Black Aces
19. Hangunyu Danny – Primero Agosto
20. Chibambo Signs – Heartland
21. Mulenga Jacob – FC Utrecht
22. Chamanga James – Dalian Shide
23. Singuluma Given – TP Mazembe
24. Katongo Christopher – Ariminia Bielefeld
25. Mayuka Emmanuel – Maccabi Tel Aviv
26. Mbesuma Collins – Moroka Swallows
33 Comments on "HR excuse Sakuwaha from his 26-man squad"
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Sikelemi on Thu, 24th Dec 2009 1:05 PM
ZAMFOOT you are speculating, prove to us he has sidelined Jonas, we will now stop commenting till we have other sources give us the real details. Otherwise Jonas needs to be at AFCON, there he will be more exposed, HR knows this so too must Jonas know. The team needs Jonas, he is a speed winger and can do damage to Cameroun and others with his runs in the box. Ask El -merrick of Sudan, they know what Jonas is capable of.
Georgia Russia on Thu, 24th Dec 2009 1:37 PM
as at today morning,,,jonas posted on facebook thats hes headed for zambia.
Anonymous on Thu, 24th Dec 2009 1:39 PM
If he is headed for zambia, it means that its all lies that we are hearing in the media that jonas should be left out to secure a place at his new team
Anonymous on Thu, 24th Dec 2009 1:41 PM
Why is Mbesuma included in the team, he is nt even on the bench at Moroka swallows, the guy has become a baloon, fi chibuku ne chi bwali bakamba, thats mbesuma for you
Jojo on Thu, 24th Dec 2009 2:10 PM
About 16 out of those 26 players have at one time been part of peter kaumba’s under 23 side which just shows what a good job he did.
Amuna Onzuna on Thu, 24th Dec 2009 2:32 PM
Its sad for Saku to make such a decision and I think the Coach is trying to blackmail him because the Coach knows that he is losing most of his players in January for the Afcon and hence he is trying to hold onto Jonas.Shame on the lorent coach.
uncle che on Thu, 24th Dec 2009 2:45 PM
This circus in Zambian football is irritating me starting with FAZ .kalusha and vice at it again.If jonas will be left out there will be trouble am sure this coach of yours has been persuading him to snab the national team its not the first time his doing this.Will zambia ever play its best players together its either this one is out or in
Georgia Russia on Thu, 24th Dec 2009 3:26 PM
thax zamfoot,merry xmass
Connie on Thu, 24th Dec 2009 3:28 PM
Sad for Saku indeed, again i think its a good idea because he has just started picking form at his club which is good for him to start wining the first place call in the club team lineup. All the best to HR and Saku.
Seen from afar on Thu, 24th Dec 2009 3:36 PM
Everyone just needs to calm down and instead attack HR, offer him support.
Jonas’s contribution to the national team over the year has been minimal, we can do with out him, let him fight for his place in France. Win win situation. Jonas has his foot in the door, players like Felix who are big performers for zambia still need help to find their footing…
Sibs on Thu, 24th Dec 2009 5:01 PM
Guys HR was in France for the past two weeks or so and he knows Saku’s situation better than us. Let the guy “grasp the ropes” in France. It would be sad for the guy to loose his place in the team just because we want him badly. He’s one of the players of the future, we have enough weapons to replace him. Like Seen from afar has said, Saku saw little action last year for the national team.
If we love Saku as we claim then let him establish his future and life. It’s good for him and us as a nation.
Gesh on Thu, 24th Dec 2009 5:08 PM
I feel its not the best of decisions by Jonas…Yes we understand he needs to ‘compaign’ for his contract but he should have taken a risk here…or maybe he did-maybe he asked HR what his chances of playing those 3 group games were and maybe he was told he was not going to be a starter,if thats the case i can simpathise with him…but if its not then he has let me and probably the nation down-we needed our best players for the tournament,gone are the days we could afford to leave out influentual players….
Jojo on Thu, 24th Dec 2009 7:04 PM
I think when renard was in france,he probably went to see jonas sakuwaha and their conversation went something like this…
RENARD–so jonas how is it going at lorient?
JONAS– thing are ok,iam slowly pushing for a first team place,just last week i started my first game,what about you coach, how are things?
RENARD– things are bad,ever since we lost to zanzibar the fans want me fired, the press have been writting all sorts of things about me, munaile has also been threatening to fire the entire technical bench there is so much,that why i want us to be training behind closed doors,away from everything
JONAS– but why would munaile do that?
RENARD– I dont know,maybe he is just stupid
JONAS– so boss why did you come to see me?
RENARD–listen jonas,am planning on leaving you out of the team that travels to angola,its for your own good,you have made so much progress here and i dont want to ruin that,instead of sitting on the bench in angola its better you just remain here,there are a lot of cup games in january and i think the coach will give you a chance
JONAS– i’ll be sitting on the bench?
RENARD–yes:i prefer to use kalaba,felix and chris on the wings
JONAS– If i’ll be sitting on the bench then its better i just remain here
RENARD–Am glad you understand..
Lovely Nalishiwa on Thu, 24th Dec 2009 8:36 PM
my speculation, Jacob Banda, Sinyingwa and Mbesuma may be tropped.
This looks like a balance squad for me. Reasons given on sakuwaha are okey, it happens in soccer and this not the first time for Zambia.
Richie on Thu, 24th Dec 2009 9:02 PM
I am one of those that forgot that Danny Hangunyu still plays soccer but thanks to the good bloggers who reminded me of him when most of you guys were calling on HR to include him in the squad and today D.H in included in the team and you say its controversial because HR has never seen him play but the question i would ask you is simple and i expect answers ‘IS HR THE ONLY ONE WHO CONSTITUTES THE TECHNICAL COMMITTEE? I wonder why people are so quick to paint HR as a bad,unethical and mindless man.Just yesterday some one was comenting on the photo whch appeared in the post of HR with his car but today we have Felix with his car and no one is saying anything,why?
Jojo on Thu, 24th Dec 2009 9:04 PM
I also think siyingwa will be dropped,jacob banda will be part of the team since we are supposed to take 3 goalkeepers
Richie on Thu, 24th Dec 2009 9:13 PM
how are you lovely?Am asking you this question out of my need to be clear.ARE YOU THE LADY WHO LIKES CALLING ZNBC RADIO 2?OR YOU RELATED TO THAT LADY?SHE IS TALKATIVE BUT SHE MAKES MY NITES.
mose on Thu, 24th Dec 2009 10:50 PM
Sakuwaha has been Dropped at his own will and i think Renard has favorites in the squad and saku is one of them i think the two sat down and talked about the the chances of saku getting a Contract Extension during the month of January when the french cup opens because thats when big teams or french ligue 1 teams use mostly subs in the lineups for the cups so Sakuwaha has asked Renard to Leave him out of the squad because he believes he will start most of the cup games and maybe impress the coach enough to extend his contract its a gamble for both Zambia and Sakuwaha himself because it may work against Zambia if we get injuries to our wingers and If Saku fails to impress it may be the end to his hope of staying in Europe. But all the best to Zambia and Sakuwaha
mose on Thu, 24th Dec 2009 11:01 PM
I think 1 defender and 2 strikers because 8 is a decent number for midfielders where we only need 4 or 6 strikers. The defender who might be dropped is Thomas Nyirenda/ Charles Siyingwa as for the strikers Mbesuma/Chitambo or Hangunyu but mostly Mbesuma/Hangunyu because ba Collins is not fit and Hangunyu may not just be favored
Family on Thu, 24th Dec 2009 11:10 PM
Zamfoot please what ever you write dont tell people lies. Dany has not been in the country for a while now. Actually am expecting him in Tomorrow on the 13 :30 TAAG.Am sure you are counting from the time the rest of the angolan based players came in. He had to remain behind coz of other issues.
M from France on Fri, 25th Dec 2009 2:53 AM
I understand Saku’s point of view but it’s quite weird from HR to accept, just like this, that one of your top players remains with his team because he wants to find a place there instead of fighting for his nation in an international competition… I’ve never seen an athlete choosing to remain in his club to improve his training instead of going to the Olympics…!
Once again Saku’s opinion is understandable (though any official international game should be important for any player, especially those abroad) but not that consistent… I know perfectly well the French Ligue 1 and here is what usually happens: during January, many players have their chance in 4 or 5 games because there are a lot of games at that period (two Cups being played then, added to the championship) and also because many African players go play for their national team during the AFCON, and miss between 4 and 6/7 games with their team. So for that reason, it can be a good thing (concerning one’s career) to “choose” your team over your country in order to try to be part of the 11 squad in Lorient.
But the main problem is that in Lorient there are not so many African players (Mansouri from Algeria), and especially if we llok at the strikers that are French (the two usual players being Vahirua and Gameiro) and wont go anywhere during January, which will be more or less a “normal” month apart from a few more games being played at that period. So I don’t think Saku can earn anything from staying there instead of playing for Zambia, because he may begin a few games (the Cup games, and it’s not even sure..), but for the rest it won’t really make a difference from the rest of the year, when he usually comes off the bench as a “super substitute” between the 60th and the 75th min…Sakuwaha is talented and plays well in Lorient (some well-known journalists noticed it), and seems to be appreciated by the Lorient’s fans (even if they are not really numerous…!), but I can tell you that he won’t take the place of one of the two permanent players who are really talented, and even if he stays there he won’t be part of the starting line-up in more than 2 or 3 games. But why not trying and taking his chance.
All the debate is there: can a player “choose” the games he plays (or not) for his national team? The most surprising being that his national coach seems to totally accept this situation,a nd even encourage it, which is what i dont really understand, unless the player wasnt part of his initial plans…. But where’s the truth in this story, that’s another question…
Asilikale on Fri, 25th Dec 2009 9:34 AM
Thats my fear ,i knw its a must cliff mulenga will be droppd evn if he plays better than any other.
Beside that cliff was a young player of the yr and we only have 1 man in southern africa to be voted as african player of the yr for almst 3 decades no one else has ever scooped it apart frm the Didier Drogs who arent in Southern africa, its likely Cliff mulenga wud be a 2nd african player of the yr bt unfortunate the 3 decade african player of the yr will broke Mulenga cliff frm achieving that.I knw.
Asilikale on Fri, 25th Dec 2009 9:54 AM
@m from france
You are absolutely right man.
The other day yo coach said,Cliff mulenga and Sakuwaha have been part of the provisional list,2 days later the story change,Cliff mulenga is an automatic replacement for Sakuwaha….Today yo coach does have plans for sakuwaha in afcon game bt he has plans for saku out side the team so when Saku ask for permision to be excluded the guys says yes……now how was he on provisional list.Am waitng to c who and who makes it in squard 23….Gud luck to cliff coz yo coach doesnt like u boy.
Asilikale waitng in confusion …….. ! ! ! ! ! !
Anonymous on Fri, 25th Dec 2009 11:18 AM
Let felix get da chop!! The Guy is Busy Drinking his head Off in lusaka.
chamz on Fri, 25th Dec 2009 6:03 PM
this saku story is crap, the guy sits on the bench, the coach will lose other african players and wants saku to stay. AFCON IS A BIG STAGE.
chamz on Fri, 25th Dec 2009 6:51 PM
We can use Mbesuma as “ichitinya” to scare other teams, even if the guy is not in top form, he has size.
Sibs on Fri, 25th Dec 2009 9:38 PM
Chamz Saku has a future to take care of. Please don’t forget that. The National team won’t be paying his bills.
Seen from afar on Fri, 25th Dec 2009 11:01 PM
@M from France
I think it’s an exceptional case. We want to see Sakuwaha succeed, there’s not many Zambian players that make it all the way, luckily the national coach understands this and accepts. Having more players in Europe is a victory for Zambia…
Not every player will be allowed to do this i feel, Sakuwaha is lucky.
M from France on Sat, 26th Dec 2009 2:16 AM
@Seen from afar
Ok I can understand that it’s a chance for Sakuwaha to have this permission from the coach. I understand that some can see it this way. But how is it a “victory for Zambia” to have more players in Europe if, when they get there, they don’t come back play for their national team during international competitions…? If it’s an exceptional case then I agree wiht you, but it will give ideas to other players who just see their national selection as a “duty”, I think… I remember some friendly games where most of the “European players” where called in the team, but for an international competition as important as afcon, then the rules change?? This is what I don’t really understand, not Saku’s position (coz am sure he also wished to play the afcon but made a diffcult choice) but the coach’s reaction, changing everyday and not putting his team’s interests first.
Seen from afar on Sat, 26th Dec 2009 5:40 AM
M, one thing is for sure, the prep for this Afcon beats that of last easily. I feel we are far more confident with the the squad as a whole this… If you think about Sinkala being unwell and Mbesuma & Tana being AWOL and off form. Even with the drama of late, it should be a vast improvement!
You are right, there have been allot of inconsistencies this year, ones you could say cost us allot this year. It’s down to HR and it’s also down to FAZ in terms planning or lack of to be precise. A coach that feels his way is one thing, but if we have a blundering Association aswell. It’s always a losing battle…
Things like Zamfoot pointed out, why try Danny Hangunyu now? Why didn’t we try out all these guys including the Finnish before Cecafa? Well who knows,,, but it’s best to try him now at least than not at all.. HR said he would give Cliff another chance, he didn’t appear on the initial list but has since appeared, so that’s a good thing. Clifford will get his chance.
Anyway, hopefully we’ll get an idea of what HR is up to in the friendlies. It’s been along time since Felix and Kalaba played in the same squad…
And maybe we will see Saku at Afcon after all, i don’t know when the final list is announced… but Saku is most natural right winger we have at the moment. I don’t like seeing James or Chris playing deep on the right…
Seen from afar on Sat, 26th Dec 2009 6:04 AM
HR isn’t out the 433 debate either, it has to be said it’s shown it doesn’t suit us. When the game is stretched, when the game in compressed it doesn’t suit us! I looked back the details of the second Togo match in which we won and had numerous great chances in front of goal. We also played our best defensively all be it not against Algeria or Egypt’s terrifying counter attacks.
HR, keep it simple, play 442!
Man ceasor on Sat, 26th Dec 2009 6:19 AM
A gd player whether injured or on national duty wl return his position.y is jonas in fear?
Winza Sichali on Sat, 26th Dec 2009 5:10 PM
Sakuwaha is 26, has bloomed late, so there are not so many AFCONS left in him, give or take, 2-3. CAF/FIFA Rules compel clubs to release players for such tournaments. Sakuwaha could have come if he really wanted, or if Renard compelled the club to release him. He has therefore chosen to miss out on this big stage for career development. Any other time, i would have called on Renard to compel Lorient to release him, but looking at the situation we are in – only Jacob Mulenga, Kalaba, Chansa and Sakuwaha are playing premier league soccer ( or whatever they call it in those leagues ! ). Chris Katongo, Andrew Sinkala are in the second division, so we are very desperate for success in Europe. If this is the path that offers the immediate oportunity to go that way, then let Sakuwaha take it. We will benefit with more interest in our players if Sakuwaha succeeds – and i think he will.