07/05/2026
WATCHED HOME TEAM YESTERDAY NO DRUMMERS, NO FANS, NO ATMOSPHERE.
The issue isn't that fans prefer foreign leagues over our local games. The problem is that significant work is needed to improve the quality of our local leagues.
I watched two of Lusaka's top Premier League teams yesterday. In 90 minutes, there wasn't a single shot on target or any clear tactical structure. It was impossible to discern what either team was trying to achieve, and it was deeply disappointing.
This isn't about player quality individually, their technical ability is fine. The problem is the lack of a coherent game plan. One team resorted to aimless long balls, leaving their strikers isolated and exhausted with no service to feet or into space.
The other team attempted to build from the back but had no solutions under pressure. When pressed, they defaulted to long kicks. There were no tactical adjustments: fullbacks didn't invert, wingers didn't drop to receive, and there was no rotation in midfield between the holding player and the central midfielders.
As coaches, we must upgrade our knowledge and methods if Zambian football is to grow.
This week I also observed a women's team doing repeated hill runs on Zesco Bridge with just three league games remaining. At this stage of the season, players should be managing fatigue, not undergoing preseason-level conditioning. Even if fitness levels are lacking, in-season training must be periodized appropriately.
Fans and sponsors aren't avoiding local football without reason. When the product is uninspiring, people will choose to watch a Manchester United match instead of a local fixture scheduled at the same time.
Football Association of Zambia (FAZ), we urgently need access to CAF coaching license courses. Upskilling coaches is critical. Without it, we risk being left behind with outdated methods.