Copper Queens coach Nora Häuptle has announced on LinkedIn that she has taken up a new job at UEFA.
The Football Association of Zambia revealed that Häuptle had requested a revision of her contract to allow her to take on additional roles elsewhere, but the request was declined.
BolaNews sources indicate that her decision to seek “side hustles” elsewhere was influenced by delayed salary payments.
She was unpaid for two months, but FAZ head of communication and media, Nkweto Tembwe, stated that the association was up to date with all her salary arrears.
“Coach Häuptle has formally engaged FAZ, seeking to alter the terms of her contract, and among her requests is a proposal to reduce her salary by up to 50% to enable her to take up additional employment elsewhere while the contract with the Copper Queens is running,” Tembwe revealed.
FAZ questioned Häuptle’s decision to seek employment elsewhere.
“This raises a question of commitment and professional focus. The position of national team coach, you will agree with me, demands full dedication, and any arrangement that potentially compromises this focus and this expectation must be carefully considered in the best interest of the team and the nation, and indeed all of the taxpayers from which this salary comes,” Tembwe said.
Häuptle was appointed as the Copper Queens head coach on a three-year deal in January 2025, replacing Bruce Mwape.
She was in charge of the team at the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), where the Copper Queens were knocked out in the quarterfinals after a 5-0 loss to eventual champions Nigeria.
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