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THE Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) says national team skipper Christopher Katongo did not demean striker Evans Kangwa.
“At no time did the captain of the national team mean demean or belittle the performance of Evans Kangwa or any other player during the briefing. Chris enjoys warm relations with his teammates and everybody associated with the team. Katongo’s mentioning of Nkana was not in reference to Kangwa and his performance on that day.
“It must be emphasised that Chipolopolo coach Patrice Beaumelle had earlier on warned against introducing an all new Chipolopolo minus the fusing in of older and experienced players,” FAZ communications manager Nkweto Tembwe said.
Tembwe said in a statement issued in Lusaka yesterday that Katongo was challenging upcoming players to rise to the occasion and make a mark at the national team.
He said Katongo’s statement during the press briefing centered around qualitative competition and challenge for the team.
Nkana forward Kangwa came from the bench to score a brace in the Chipolopolo’s 2-1 win over Uganda in an international friendly at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola last Wednesday.
“We will not take out experienced players and then leave some players. You (who) just play two, three games at Nkana or whatever for one week or six months then he comes and plays Africa Cup of Nations. We are not going to take that.
“We want a player who is going to be consistent for the club to come in and he can challenge us, no problem. He is going to find us and challenge us,” Katongo said at a post-match briefing.
Several former national team players among them Dickson Makwaza and Jani Simulambo have urged Katongo to unite the team.
