23 Comments on "Ghana U17 Coach Defends ”age-cheats’ Zambia"

Big Steve from SA on Thu, 2nd Sep 2010 3:05 PM 



If someone in the Ghana FA thinks Zambia was age cheating he should think about removing the log from his eye before talking about the speck in others. They should bring the bone testing machine and test all the players that took part in that game and the team with the most overage players should be banned. Then we will see what crap they are talking about. Has there ever been an african team that has not had overage players in their ranks?? they should look at themselves first before pointing fingers.

Logic on Thu, 2nd Sep 2010 3:07 PM 



Bakolwe basekene ifipato

chamz on Thu, 2nd Sep 2010 3:12 PM 



In fact the reason why Ghana and Nigeria have been wining the FIFA under age competitions is because of age cheating. In fact its possible to test U-17 years. They say it becomes difficult after that age.

vinkubala on Thu, 2nd Sep 2010 3:55 PM 



I know of some players in other african countries who were playing in their youth ranks like U17, U20 and U23s when their true age was late 20s. These guys were parents and had come to fend for their families as life is tough nowadays. You can find a player having a thigh and nchafu as tough as Mbesuma’s claiming to be U17. Parents and children differ in the way they run. I hope some of you can bear witness to this. These players have a short career in football and they vanish as soon as they appear on the international scene. Where is Cameroun’s Pius Ndiefi? Where is RSA’s Bennedict ‘Tso’ Vilakazi

Gerogia Russia on Thu, 2nd Sep 2010 4:04 PM 



am glad the coach has refused to be drawn in such debates,,,Ghana used some over aged players if not the entire team,,i watched that game live and one could tell that it was not a game of under 17s but under 20s maybe

Whisper on Thu, 2nd Sep 2010 4:47 PM 



Vinkubala, you have made me chuckle. That bone testing machine would malfunction and blow up if they were to test some of the players.

Captain Morgan on Thu, 2nd Sep 2010 4:59 PM 



“In any case how do you determine someone’s age.”

Really? How about look at the Birth Certificates of these players.
Are we still that backward as a country that not everybody is able to attain birth certificates?

And shouldn’t it be a requirement of all players drafted into any team to submit their NRC Cards as proof of name and age? … Give that to the Ghanian Delegation as proof.

Sibs on Thu, 2nd Sep 2010 5:51 PM 



Ba Ghana can’t come out telling us that we used over aged players. These guys are the
chiefs in this area with alot of other West African teams. Bamabala atase! Even their team that won the U-20 W.C one could see that some of their players were inkotize.

SmmoJC on Thu, 2nd Sep 2010 7:35 PM 



Great Chipolopolo fans, including me, lets not dismiss easily the ‘funny’ reports from GHANA. am sure Sudan could have been saying the same about us but they got disqualified … all we need is ensure that we don’t cheat like other teams. Go Zambia and beat Ghana at home. GOD bless the Republic of ZAMBIA in all manner of life. thanks and shalom

Zamfoot on Thu, 2nd Sep 2010 8:29 PM 



Zambia trained at Nkoloma Stadium on Thursday afternoon.

Dario Bonetti kept the same probable line up as from Wednesday’s. Kola looks like he will be out with a harmstring injury

Jimmy Tembo on Thu, 2nd Sep 2010 10:40 PM 



Mukoka, just you should read that your number one enemy is highly considered elsewhere.

A Fifa technical report claims African teams fared badly during the World Cup owing to late appointments of foreign coaches.

The Fifa technical Study Group (TSG) comprised of among others our own Jomo Sono, Zambia’s Kalusha Bwalya and Frenchman Gerard Houllier.

The group covered all the matches and filed reports on wide-ranging issues during the tournament, including offering their unique and exclusive views in informative columns, picking out and commenting on the highlights of the day’s games. The TSG has been present at every FIFA competition for the last 40 years.

The group’s thoughts on Africa concluded that the timing of some of the appointments was Africa’s downfall. Five of the six African teams were knocked out in the group stage with only Ghana reached the quarter-final stage.

“Five of the six African teams had foreign coaches, most of whom were either brought on board at short notice or only for the World Cup finals. The coaches’ chances of success were limited by the fact that they often did not fully identify with the African culture, mentality and lifestyle or knew too little about these factors,” the report notes.

In fact, Nigeria hired Lars Lagerback at the end of March, barely three months before the start of the tournament in June.

Furthermore, the report claims that the staging of the Africa Cup of Nations during the same year as the World Cup probably had a negative effect on the Africans.

“Another issue is the staging of the Africa Cup of Nations in the same year as the World Cup. The difficulty resides in keeping players motivated and fit for two such major competitions. Two tournaments of this stature within six months of each other imposes an extreme mental burden on the players, particularly due to the great pressure to perform to which the players are also exposed their clubs,” the report argues.

The report further claims South Africa lacks faith in youth as opposed to their counterparts, Ghana and that could have been one of the differences between the two teams.

“Ghana’s ongoing youth and development work was clearly in evidence, with five members of the team that won the Fifa Under-20 World Cup in 2009 making their squad, two of whom were regulars, with another player starting three matches.

“The fact that youth football is viewed differently in South Africa than in Ghana was demonstrated by the fact that none of the players used by South Africa at the U-20 World Cup in Egypt were selected for the senior squad,” it says.

Seen from afar on Fri, 3rd Sep 2010 12:17 AM 



There is really no use in using over age players, Africa needs to stop it and we should start. Imagine you use over age players, all you are doing is taking away a chance from real youngsters and giving to someone who will probably not be able to use it. Two bad things at once!

I won’t get more righteous, i know there is a reality! But when i was young, we used to enjoy beating the bigger guys, now the bigger guys are wanting to beat the younger ones?

Seen from afar on Fri, 3rd Sep 2010 12:27 AM 



Also, Zamfoot, hope Kola is alright, hope it’s not bad?? Was it a mistake on the part of the coach to play him in this training match when he had just arrived?

Anonymous on Fri, 3rd Sep 2010 8:34 AM 



@Captain Morgan Brother birth certificates and NRC are not full proof methods of testing ones age. Its not a matter of being backward these are national IDs which are not intternationally accepted as anyone can easily manipulate them in order to cheat on age. Best practice is using internationally accepted ways of tesing which i presume is the bone testing machine as mentioned by brother Vinkubala above. Bloggers on the other hand these days its difficult to judge the age of someone just by looking at someone who is tall and having a lot of pimples, mandevu and all, mind you there are GMFs (generitically modified foods) these days and the youths of these days are growing so fast. let the game be played in Ghana and we wallop them then we see what happens next. Otherwise best way is field players who are of right age in order to avoid being disqualified like what happened to Uganda. If this happens Zeddians should not complain because they saw it coming but decided to go the Uganda way, by choice, as usual FAZ will have to own up if it reaches that.

Brave Rangers For Life on Fri, 3rd Sep 2010 8:42 AM 



That was my post on anonymous my ID got lost sorry

CHIPOLOPOLO 1 on Fri, 3rd Sep 2010 8:52 AM 



5 players Join under 17 Camp…. 2 from K.Stars , 1 from Zacks Utd and 2 from Kaboulonga boys !!!! here we go again….

Big Steve from SA on Fri, 3rd Sep 2010 9:00 AM 



Good to know Kalu is still keeping Zambias name on the map with his participation in FIFA issues like this, big up Kalu.

I get this feeling Kola came to Zamabia carrying this injury and just hoped he could shrug it off but in the long run has made it even worse.

Sharp Razor on Fri, 3rd Sep 2010 9:09 AM 



Did anyone read Kennedy Gondwe’s African football grandfathers in the Sunday Post? Talk about the Chalwe brothers and age cheating………

Ba Muzo on Fri, 3rd Sep 2010 9:19 AM 



Appointing coaches late very good observation. Why was the new Zambia coach appointed late?
Kola was fine. Other foreign based players in the past would come same day of the match and play. Bonnetti should not be blamed for Kola’s unfortunate injury. These things do happen in football. In any case, there is enough cover in the squad. AGE CHAETING is rampant everywhere in Africa.

dot com on Fri, 3rd Sep 2010 10:00 AM 



“uwawa tabula aka bepesho…” thats the truth of the matter…

Go Zambia Go! One Zambia One Chipolopolo!

Justice "Brave Rangers" Kafusha on Fri, 3rd Sep 2010 10:25 AM 



@Jimmy Tembo, where else can that happen

DaMwiinger on Fri, 3rd Sep 2010 12:42 PM 



@ Chipolopolo1-I am aware that one of the call-ups is an Athletic FC player. A wing back called Joseph Saukani

Seen from afar on Fri, 3rd Sep 2010 2:08 PM 



Sharp Razor, i would have liked to read that. Sounds interesting.