The Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) is in talks with Nora Hauptle to take the helm of the Copper Queens as head coach after shunning a contract extension with the Ghana women’s national team, BolaNews has learnt.
In trying to understand why Hauptle is poised to replace Bruce Mwape, BolaNews compares the two coaches.
Coaching background and experience
Bruce Mwape, 65, was appointed as the head coach of the Zambia women’s national team in 2018. Beforehand, he managed Nchanga Rangers in the Zambian Super Division, among other clubs. Mwape is scheduled to undergo training to obtain a CAF Pro License.
Despite being only 41, Nora Hauptle holds a UEFA Pro License and has a decade and a half of coaching experience, starting a managerial career at just 26. She was appointed as the Black Queens head coach in January 2023 after serving as a technical advisor for the U-20 team. From 2015 to 2022, the Swiss trainer coached the Switzerland U19 women, SC Sanda, in the German Frauen-Bundesliga, where she was the league’s only female coach in 2021 before taking over head coach for Israel Women’s National Team.
Trophies and Achievements
In 2022, Mwape claimed the COSAFA Women’s Championship title and bronze at the Women’s African Cup of Nations (AFCON). He inspired Zambia to unprecedented FIFA Women’s World Cup and back-to-back Summer Olympics qualifications.
Meanwhile, Nora Hauptle revitalised the Black Queens, guiding them to their first women’s AFCON in over six years.
Statistics (excluding the FIFA World Cup and Olympics finals)
Since January 2023, Bruce Mwape has recorded eight wins, three draws, and four defeats. He has a win percentage of 53% and averages 2.93 goals scored per game and 1.73 conceded.
In contrast, Hauptle boasts 10 consecutive wins from the beginning of her tenure and a draw and three defeats recently. Her win percentage stands at 71% and her side has scored 2.64 goals per game and conceded 0.71.
Playstyle/management approach
Mwape has been criticized for being tactically deficient and one-dimensional, relying on the long-ball tactic where the ball is launched from defence to attack, bypassing the midfield. One such critic was Nora Hauptle, who admitted that the Copper Queens were lagging tactically despite beating her side 4-3 on aggregate during the Paris Olympics preliminaries.
The Swiss coach’s side dominated Zambia in both fixtures, registering a possession of 63% in Accra and giving the Copper Queens a run for their money in Ndola.
She once admitted via BBC News Africa that due to her emphasis on a tactical approach, one of her staff members in Ghana advised her to slow down as it could mentally overwhelm the players. This is the type of coach the Zambian fans have been yearning for and calls for Hauptle to replace Bruce Mwape began when the pair clashed horns in February.
