Charles Bwale, a former Copper Queens head coach says the renewal of Barbra Banda’s contract by the National Women Soccer League (NWSL) side Orlando Pride presents the opportunity for young Zambian players to trek to the USA.
On Monday, Orlando Pride announced a contract extension for the Zambian striker that will keep her at the club until the 2029 season.
In an interview, Bwale said the extension of the contract by Orlando Pride is an opportunity that makes the scouts look for more talent in Zambia based on her performance since joining the club.
“She is the brand ambassador of Zambian female football. We have three players in the USA, and they have done well for themselves. So the extension of the contract is also good for Zambian football in general,” he said.
“Barbra has a rare trait” – Bwale.
“Whatever she is doing in the USA will make scouts look to Zambia for talent, which will generally benefit a lot of young and upcoming female players in Zambia. In terms of having more players in the professional league, like the NWSL, we will have a stronger national team, so this is good.”
He has described Banda as a hard-working and humble player.
“She has continued to work her way up and remain humble; it is a rare trait, and I would encourage her to continue being this approachable person, more especially for the young generation,” Bwale explained.
Bwale has also urged the Copper Queens technical bench to develop a tactical system that will help Banda thrive and help the team succeed.
“Barbra is good both on the ground and in the air; as such, my advice to the technical bench is to find balance in the tactics they use,” he explained.
“From her last match we saw how she controlled a long ball and scored it beautifully. At times when we can get going with a passing game depending on the opportunity, we can play long balls and get the job done. It would be sad if such a talented player failed to lay her hands on the WAFCON trophy.”
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