Luton Town FC defender Tyrell Giwa has declared his intentions to play for the Chipolopolo. The youngster was born on September 30, 2005, in the United Kingdom (UK) and has been at Luton Town since the age of 12, playing in the EFL South-East Youth Alliance.
The 18-year-old is a graduate of the Luton youth development team and plays as a wingback.
Diwa was part of the team that finished at the top of the 2023–24 Southeast Division of the youth league with 12 wins, 2 draws, and 4 defeats and will be graduating to the Luton Town Under-23 next season.
“I played for my local team when I was around eight. By the age of 11, I had been scouted for the development squad at Luton. While there, within a couple of months, I got moved from development to the pre-academy and then to the actual proper academy,” he told BolaNews in an interview. “I got offered a scholarship at 16, and I just finished that scholarship. Now I’m going to be an under-23 player next season.”
Giwa is eligible to represent four nations at the senior level. He was born to a Zambian mother and a father of Ghanaian and Nigerian heritage.
However, he is willing to represent Zambia if given the opportunity.
“I’m eligible to play for England, Ghana, Nigeria, and Zambia, of course. If I were to be called up, I think I would bring a lot of energy up and down, defensively, attacking as well, bringing as much quality as possible, and trying to create chances,” he said.
Giwa has been following Zambian players in Europe. He is elated to see the like Patson Daka excelling in England with Leicester City.
“It’s exciting because I’m obviously in a similar position to meet someone who’s Zambian and playing in the UK. So it’s nice to see our players from my country also come in to play in the country where I am. So it’s exciting to see,” Giwa stated. “I know you have a big Patson Daka up front…. So hopefully I can help create some goals for him as well.”
The prodigy understands that it will take a lot of work to earn a call-up to the senior Chipolopolo squad that’s aiming to achieve a World Cup qualification.
“It gives me a lot of hope and more ambition for things to strive for, which means I have to work hard to get myself into a position where I can hopefully represent the country,” Giwa stated.
Asked about the longevity of some prodigies who did not last long in the squad after switching allegiance to Zambia, Giwa stated, “I just have the confidence within myself. I know I’m a good defender. I know I can go forward. So it’s just a matter of putting it all together, having confidence, and working hard to produce in the moment.”
Giwa, who is in the country for the off-season, has already fallen in love with the country.
“It’s a very nice [place], different culture; nice and warm. It’s just nice to see the different environment that I’m in,” he said.
Giwa has yet to represent England at the youth level and remains eligible to switch allegiance.
Meanwhile, Chipolopolo coach Avram Grant told BolaNews last week that he is monitoring a lot of players abroad with Zambian roots, as he hopes to call them.
“We are now in the process of checking [players of Zambian descent abroad]….. Because, you know, we want to have every good player on board,” Grant said. “We want players who play in better leagues. I know the leagues here [in Zambia] are making a lot of effort and everything, but still, it is not the level that we need.”
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