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ZAMBIA defender Hichani Himoonde’s future at TP Mazembe hangs in a balance after he was left out of the squad for the 2014 CAF Champions League.
And coach Patrice Carteron allowed defender Stopilla Sunzu and midfielder Nathan Sinkala to join struggling French Ligue 1 side FC Sochaux because it was going to be difficult to motivate them.
Midfielder Francis Kasonde has also been snubbed for the 2014 Champions League campaign.
Himoonde has been replaced with another Chipolopolo defender, Kabaso Chongo, who joined the Democratic Republic of Congo outfit last year.
Himoonde has been linked to South African sides Mamelodi Sundowns and Kaizer Chiefs.
According to the list posted on the club’s website, Zambia internationals Rainford Kalaba, Jonas Sakuwaha and Given Singuluma have been included in the 26-member squad.
Himoonde, who has fallen in the perking order, joined the Lubumbashi-based outfit after the 2010 Angola Africa Cup of Nations finals.
Meanwhile, Carteron said the departure of Sinkala, Sunzu and Congolese international Tresor Mputu will not affect the team’s performance in the Champions League.
“The performance of Tresor Mputu for TP Mazembe in the last ten years was impressive. I salute him. To us and the staff, we have to find a cohesive and stronger team to ensure that the absence of Mputu, Sinkala and Sunzu is not felt.
“These are players I wanted to keep at all cost. It’s part of the evolution of a club. They were perhaps more difficult to motivate because after several attempts when they had opportunities to play in Europe, one can understand a player has this desire for a new challenge,” Carteron said.
The Frenchman urged players that have been left out of continental competition to work hard so that they can be considered when the team qualifies for the group stage.
