Should German-based Christopher Katongo continue as Zambia’s captain at the Africa Cup of Nations next month?
That is the question ex-Zanaco player Desmond Mugawa, one of the panelists on ZNBC’s Talking Football Show, put forward on Sunday.
Mugawa was right that Katongo’s form has dipped and has his form has also failed to inspire Zambia during their 2010 qualifiers but the striker of 2.Bundesliga side Armenia Bielefeld remains a revered figure amongst his peers in the team.
This is despite making it on the last breath to beat Rwanda to finishing third in Group C and to book their place to Angola.
Suggestions include one Joseph Musonda who currently captains South African club Lamontville Golden Arrows.
However, Musonda does not possess the kind of authoritative spark that saw him come to the fore when Jan Brouwer handed him his first cap at the end of 2001.
Moreover, Musonda does carry the dynamism of being able to work the media, one attribute that a modern football captain requires.
So who is your choice for Katongo’s job?
Joseph Musonda’s vocabulary is limited. I listened to him one time fail to speak to Super Sport reporter who was interviewing him during the Cup Final of the Nedbank Cup. As a Capt you need a guy that can stand up to the referee and defend his players. Charisma i think Joze lacks that.
Well, as skipper i would not advise my team mate to hit it hard and low to stick it behind the net if personally i can’t do that it….i think action is the best language in football. The boys just do what the captain does. He baloons the ball over the bar, they will do the same.Mweene is better…
I’m not keen to watch the Bundesliga but it could be true that Chris Katongo’s form has dipped. He is never heard compared to other African strikers in the Bundesliga like Arthur Boka (VFB Stuttgart).
Clearly, Katongo has lost his form, but that does not mean when a player has lost his form in one or two matches then he ceases to inspire others. Its like saying we should change the coach because he has no pace to play the game. Give the guy a chance. There are lots of factors that are affecting the Zambian game, and put the entire blame on one patriot is not only miopic, but to fail to analyse issues beyond the pencil.
We need to develop a positive atitude about the way we do things. We have no venues, no training grounds, not even a toilet in the dressing room. Is it Katongo who caused that? No wonder now we have resolted to slaping critics and buying policemen in foreign lands for protection. Get real guys and put priorities right. This is not the time to start making changes.
Katongo needs to be assisted by an understudy, because i personally dont think that he will continue after the disastaster awaiting us in Angola. If Katongo’s morale is dampened, his brother Chris will get affected (they are very close), so will who knows who? We just need to change coaches. Harve Renard is not the right man for our mission, hes on to enrich his cv so that he say i coached in Africa. If i were the mover of things at futbo house, i would call back from tour of duty, Patric Phiri to be part of the contingent of the tech staff taking a weak team to Angola period. Look, we only have a goal keeper. Defence is not there. I have read that Clifford Mulenga is back in. Has he patched his differences with Renard over one local hot song bird? Help us Lord….
Katongo might not be at his best right now. Obviously real age is catching up but he has the charisma and will power that helped Steven Gerard inspire Liverpool to win the Champions league in Istanbul. Right now that is very much needed.
#5 I understand that Clifford chap is quite indesplined he once sneaked the song bird into camp and lied that he had a tummy upset whilst entertaining her in his room. Such is the calibre of players we have.
The timing is bad, such changes at this time?????????
let katongo stay as captain..
But play him in the correct position..!!
i think katongo has been asked too much by suddenly slotting him into a strikers role for a few years now, when the guys is far from a striker..!
I feel Kennedy Mweene has what it takes to be skipper. Not a captain who shy’s away from taking penalt spots, like the way ba Chris let Mbesuma who was only few minutes in the game take a penalt.
Kennedy Mweene would be a good choice for Skipper but then whats wrong with Chris? just chase the coach and get school football back!
The so called soccer analysts in do not read football or understand the game. They read commentaries on the web about other teams outside Zambia completely give informed analysis on Zambian soccer. Just talking about chris is and suggesting that he has outlived his usefulness not enough. Give us well researched reasons that could affect his performance and qualify your conclusion to convince us. Am tied and sick about our soccer analysts in Zambia.
I think Mween can do well, hes vocal too, but does he command respect?, thats the question here!
I think Mweene can do well, hes vocal too, but does he command respect?, thats the question here!
Lets give the guy a chance he might just suprise us @ CAN after all he was the our best player @ Ghana 2008 though the leaving out of an experienced player like Sinkala might prove to be our undoing.
Unlike Mweene who is vocal and at least looks confident, Katongo is too quite and looks lost & panics whenever we are down. Moreover those white lips, Chris develops when we are down, can’t inspire confindence in anyone.
I agree with those proposing kennedy mweene
honestly andrew sinkala is the captain i would want and he has what it takes unlike some players….whatever the case kennedy mweene is the right choice now…..he is able to express himself well!good luck guys….
Just introduce rotating captainship to inspire every player that he will one day captaining the team
I feel Chris has leadership qualities, let him captain the team at this tournament and let us talk about these issues after, bcoz we are just going to disturb the boys.Go go chipolopolo.
Let the young man work you disgruntled so called analysts,he has the charisma
nyc1