Former Zambia national team midfielder Noah Chivuta has raised concerns over how local football clubs plan and execute their pre-season training, as well as the unclear roles in player recruitment.
Speaking in an interview, Chivuta pointed to structural weaknesses in both technical and administrative aspects of Zambian club football.
Chivuta, who had a successful international career with Chipolopolo and played professionally in South Africa and Asia, questioned the logic behind taking teams to remote areas for pre-season camps that lack proper facilities.
He argued that some clubs are wasting valuable preparation time on physical drills in unsuitable environments, rather than focusing on building tactics, fitness, and team cohesion.
“If you go to Mongu for 10 days, that’s almost two weeks gone,” Chivuta said. “What are you going to gain from just running in the sand? Even physical conditioning can be done on the training ground.”
He stressed that pre-season should be about more than fitness, especially for teams welcoming new signings. He believes quality preparation involves proper team bonding, tactical work, and access to suitable infrastructure.
“If it’s team building, go somewhere with good facilities where you can train, eat well and bond. That’s why clubs in Europe go for training camps. But if you go to a place with no facilities, what tactical gains are you getting? How will players gel just by running on the sand?”
Chivuta argued that administrative committees, not coaches, often dictate where teams go for camp — sometimes at the expense of technical efficiency.
“Who makes the decision to take the team there? Is it the coach? I don’t think so. The coaches have to go along because they are protecting their jobs”
He also called into question the player recruitment process, especially the signing of foreign players.
“Who does the scouting for foreign players? Is it the manager bringing players or the coach selecting what fits the system? If I’m a coach who prefers long balls, I want a striker who plays with his back to goal — not just any striker. That decision must be technical, not random.”
