Lusaka Provincial Division One side Kafue Celtic Football Club has disclosed that six out of seven players that remained in Georgia have successfully signed professional contracts with Georgian second-tier side, FC Locomotive Tbilisi.
Recently, Kafue Celtic were on a trip to Georgia at the invitation of FC Locomotive Tbilisi as part of the two club’s Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed last year.
The Crocs also played three friendly matches while in that country, recording two defeats and a draw.
On 30 June 2023, Kafue Celtic announced that seven players: Vincent Kalinda, Boniphanseo Phiri, Floyd Chileshe, Frank Chileshe, Agrippa Mwila, Darton Bwalya, and Twiza Mulenga have remained behind for an extended two-week assessment by FC Locomotive Tbilisi and other Georgian clubs.
However, six players have been handed professional contracts by FC Locomotive Tbilisi. These players are Kalinda, Chileshe, Frank Chileshe, and Phiri. Others are Bwalya and Mwila.
The youngsters have been tipped by Kafue Celtic director
Commenting on the development, Club Director Lee Kawanu has urged the six players to work hard and use the opportunity to propel their professional careers into some of the top European leagues.
“I wish to encourage the 6 players to work really hard and use this great opportunity to propel their professional careers into some of the top European leagues.”
Kawanu said the players are not only Kafue Celtic ambassadors but are representing the positive attributes and talent Zambia has to offer.
“They are not only ambassadors of the Crocs family but all Zambian players and therefore have to show all the positive attributes and talent our country has to offer the world,” Kawanu said.
Last weekend, the club also disclosed that two young players, Jonathan Kalimina and Orton Phiri, left the country to attend a training camp with Yeleen Olympique in Mali.
After their training camp in Mali, Kalimina and Phiri will travel to Austria for the Red Bull Salzburg Next Generation Tournament. In 2022, the Club sent three players; Vincent Mutondo, Noah Chikote, and Litia Litia for the Red Bull Salzburg tournament.
