Former Chipolopolo defender Francis Kasonde has been appointed as the Under-18 coach for St. Austell Football Club, based in South Western England and competing in the Western League Premier Division, the ninth tier of English football.

Kasonde, who featured prominently for clubs such as ZESCO United and Power Dynamos, expressed his delight at securing a long-term coaching role with the English side.

“I’m really happy about my appointment as a coach for the reserve St. Austell football team,” said Kasonde in an interview. “I’m excited to be given this opportunity to learn and grow my career. Learning is a lifelong process, and this new challenge will develop my skills, allow me to work with talented players, and contribute to the team’s success.”

However, Kasonde also disclosed that converting his CAF B licence into a UEFA B proved challenging but has already acquired a UEFA C licence.

He said this is due to stricter requirements introduced by the European football governing body.

“It wasn’t easy at all. UEFA now requires you to sit for the exams and go through the entire licensing process instead of simply converting previous qualifications. So I had to go through all the steps and prove myself,” he explained.

Having fulfilled the necessary requirements, the former defender has since enrolled for the UEFA A licence, stating his willingness to learn from the club’s senior technical bench.

“Many thanks to St. Austell management for giving me this opportunity.”

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