Zambian striker Fashion Sakala is unlikely to return to the national team unless Avram Grant resigns or is dismissed, multiple sources have told BolaNews.
However, there is currently no indication that Grant, who has led the Chipolopolo Boys to back-to-back Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifications, will be leaving. He still has time remaining on his contract, though the exact details remain unclear after his initial agreement with the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) expired in December last year.
The Israeli coach is also owed over K2.6 million in unpaid salary by the government, an amount Minister of Youth, Sports and Arts, Elvis Nkandu, has promised will be cleared within two weeks.
Grant faces accusations from Sakala of pressuring players to sign with his agent, Nir Karin, in exchange for national team call-ups—allegations Grant has firmly denied, dismissing them as “total lies.”
Newly elected FAZ President Keith Mweemba stated yesterday that he has no immediate plans to review Grant’s contract, stressing the importance of honoring existing agreements. Nonetheless, he expressed a willingness to seek a resolution that could reconcile both parties.
“It’s not necessarily for a positive review because remember, a contract is a binding legal document. I want us to understand the contents. We want to make sure that the way we handle coaches is done within the confines of that contract,” Mweemba said when asked if he would consider reviewing Grant’s contract.
“We don’t want to go astray and then find ourselves in problems,” Mweemba added. “Because this is an existing contract. It’s already working. If you talk about reviewing, those are now matters of contractual engagement at a later time.”
Grant’s stance remains unchanged
Meanwhile, sources indicate that Grant’s stance remains unchanged: Sakala will not be considered for selection unless he issues an apology. Without it, the Saudi Arabia-based striker will continue to be left out of the squad.
Sakala last featured for Zambia during the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations held in January last year and has not been called up since.
Last week Wednesday, Sakala went live on Facebook, criticizing former FAZ President Andrew Kamanga for comments made on Hot FM, where Kamanga suggested that one reason for Sakala’s exclusion was his alleged disrespect towards teammates by claiming they only score tap-ins.
Sakala hit back at Kamanga, accusing him of betrayal and alleging that Kamanga had encouraged him to speak out against Grant.
“Kamanga is a betrayer,” Sakala said to thousands of his followers on Facebook. “He betrayed me. You know, after all these things that me and him spoke about in secret, he’s going live, having interviews and start telling people.”
He also shared how difficult it has been to be sidelined from the national team.
“It’s been very hard, every Zambian wants to be part of the national team. It feels like people are separating you from a country where you really want to contribute so much,” bemoaned Sakala.
READ MORE: New FAZ President Keith Mweemba Addresses Avram Grant-Fashion Sakala Dispute
