Former Chipolopolo striker Nchimunya Mweetwa has urged local coaches in Zambia to adopt modern psychological approaches in football to get the best out of their players.

The former Buildcon boss emphasized that the game has moved beyond traditional training methods, with players now facing increasing mental challenges that need to be addressed before match day.

“Modern footballers carry a lot of psychological baggage, and if it is not dealt with, performance is affected. Physical fitness alone is not enough in today’s game,” he said.

Mweetwa specifically called on the technical benches of Power Dynamos and ZESCO United, who are preparing for CAF interclub competitions, to include mental preparation in their training programs.

“It is not just about physical preparation, of which both teams have had enough by playing in the domestic league. Now it’s about psychology — ensuring players believe in themselves, stay focused, and can handle the pressure of continental football,” he noted.

He further stressed that today’s coaching landscape requires flexibility and innovation, rather than rigid adherence to outdated methods.

“Modern football coaching demands an adaptive approach, not just technical expertise, to lead through uncertainty and drive high performance. The old playbook no longer works — football has evolved, and so has coaching. At the micro level, it’s no longer a technical issue, it’s an adaptive dilemma with no clear manual, hence requires adaptive coaching,” he explained.

Mweetwa, who played in Europe before coaching locally, added that Zambian football has the talent to compete at the highest level but emphasized that bridging the psychological gap is crucial to achieving consistent international success.

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