April 28 the entire Zambia National football team considered by some as one of the the best teams in game on the African continent perished in a plane on the coast of Gabon! It was a heartbreaking experience, almost all hope was lost,as the nation mourned the great players, Zambians from all walks of life including the then President FTJ Chiluba publicly broke down at the Independence stadium in Lusaka as millions joined him nobody thought the country could rise like an eagle above that disaster. Following the moving incidence a lot was talked about and suggestions as the way forward in terms of Zambian football, others thought it was the beginning of its end while others looked at it as a passing phase. Some faint minded suggested that the country should exit from the football scene until after some time when it will come back more organized. But visionaries the likes of Late Dennis Liwewe among other few with a different perspective refused to be controlled by emotions and pushed for the quick assembly of another team which was put in place captained by only one player Great kalu from the previous team who inspired the the new lads on and off the pitch, others chickened out waiting to see them fail and say we told you!. Forgetting that it is in such times when others rise above the occasion. The new team was very much doubted compared to that which perished as years were rolling in search of victory from 1993 in vain, the tempo kept going up and down like a thermometer on a patient whose conditions keep changing. Many times it was very disappointing, but when the right time came in 2012 no one not even the big names of cote d Ivoire could stand on the way of the mighty Chipolopolo (copper bullets) who outplayed others and finally lifted the Africa Cup under coach Herve Renard and his assist Patrice on the country were the previous team perished.. Their was and is still unbelievable joy and happiness as the young African champions some who were toddlers when the Gabon air-crash happened walked with their heads high putting back the pieces of the broken dream back on course the tears of sadness was replaced by joy and pride.. Yes the cup might not have been with Zambia for long but even if it was here for a minute as historians write history we have a record! as we look forward to other cups including the World cup, yes I said world cup! To some they cant even imagine just like they others did before the Africa cup simply because we dont believe in our selves but put others first.....we would rather support foreign teams instead of putting all our efforts forgetting that they were once at our level and were not born professionals we enjoy watching, praising and talking about today. The million dollar question is, is it the current crop of footballers to lift it or those who will are not even born as in the previous case? who will lift us higher from were the likes of late Dennis Liwewe left us? The above and many more should be the questions we must be exhausting our energies on forging forward otherwise we will just be wasting our time supporting teams and fighting over foreign teams who dont even know or care about us. it is said that Charity begins at home. For you to be a die hard supporter of those teams somebody somewhere did their home work to bring that team to were it is, it did not just come from no where! Iam not a football fanatic per say but Ive been compelled to share the above following the surprising behavior of some of the people I saw who were watching some foreign games at a named lodge, I could not believe my eyes and asked myself if this kind of support is shifted to Zambian sports or indeed soccer in particular we could be watching Zambia lift the forthcoming 2016 world cup in Brazil or did the big dream go with the team that perished? Brazil!
Posted on: Thu, 22 May 2014 05:15:11 +0000
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