Football coach, Nebert Phiri, has entered the contentious discussion surrounding the selection of players for Zambia’s junior national teams, contending that only the best players from competitive clubs ought to be taken into account.
His remarks come after Zambia’s junior chipolopolo team lost to South Africa (4-0) and Malawi (2-1) at the COSAFA U-17 Championship in Harare, Zimbabwe.
The defending champions concluded the campaign with a 5-1 win over Madagascar.
Phiri asked why players from underperforming teams were chosen.
He further criticized the U-17 coach’s late appointment just days before the tournament.
“What is the point of having good-attitude players if they can’t score or are selfish with the ball? Why bring someone who struggles with ball control to the national team?” he said in an interview.
He further questioned the selection process, suggesting favoritism toward certain academies.
“Listen again, you mean only so-called ‘good academies’ have quality players? In Zambia, a team fighting relegation can still provide four players for the U-17 team, and people applaud”
“Fairness will bring back Zambia’s winning ways” – Phiri.
Phiri urged the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) to adopt a transparent scouting system.
“Introduce fair scouts who are well paid to avoid corruption, and they will find quality young boys. Fairness will bring back Zambia’s winning ways,” he stated.
Phiri, questioned the current national team lineup, asserting that he could field a Chipolopolo B team that could defeat the A team.
“Allow me to coach a Chipolopolo B Team, and we will win 3-0,” he declared.
Phiri warns that Zambia runs the risk of continuing to perform poorly on the continental stage if fairness and merit-based selection are not implemented, and he calls for consistent club performance to serve as the standard for national call-ups.
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