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by
George Kasakula, 28 June 2004
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08:54:16
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Revamp Flames now
The pathetic and atrocious performance by Flames against Zebras last Saturday can only be followed up by a revamp of the side immediately if more embarrassment is to be avoided. That team played without any purpose. During the second half they were holding the ball, forcing Botswana to play in their own half. But the funny part is that the Flames never utilised this to score goals. The midfield was not non-existent and not creative, leaving strikers to run for the ball aimlessly. You cannot score in that situation. The coaching panel made matters worse. It also lacked creativity that could have built on the fact that the team was having more ball possession than the opponents. The substitutions made never paid any dividends because they were ill-timed. Fam must revamp the technical panel now than later. In any organisation there is a boss who takes responsibility over matters. According to Fam, in the present arrangement, all three members of Flames technical—John Kaputa, Kinnah Phiri and Dave Mpesi— are at par. There is nobody taking personal responsibility. This cannot work.
Explain, Mr Kaputa
Coaches have the ultimate right to drop any player they see not fitting in their plans. This could be reason why Maupo Msowoya and Fischer Kondowe were dropped from the Flames’ call up. Fischer has since been recalled. But what I fail to comprehend is why John Kaputa cannot come out in the open and explain this decision to the nation. If, for the sake of argument, Kaputa and company decided to drop Msowoya because he was red-carded in Maputo, they should come out in the open and explain this. Should they wait for Fam GS Roosevelt Mpinganjira to do it for them? Feigning ignorance and trying to find a scapegoat in Fam as Kaputa is trying to do is a shame, a real shame because Fam is not supposed to come up with call ups. And then the technical panel itself is divided on the issue. Kinnah Phiri is saying he was not party to the decision to drop the two players. He is pushing the buck to Kaputa and Dave Mpesi. Should we really expect something from this technical panel? A panel that is also divided. This only serves to drive the point home that we need one coach to head the panel and let others be assistants.
Rooney not there yet
Captain David Beckham says England’s teenager striker Wayne Rooney deserves to be compared with Pele for his impact on Euro 2004. Beckham was just echoing what his boss Sven-Goran Eriksson said that no player had made an impact on a tournament to equal Rooney’s since a 17-year-old Pele lit up the 1958 World Cup. This was after Rooney at 18 years of age scored two goals and made another in England’s 4-2 win over Croatia on Monday. Images of the so-called wonder kid also covered English newspapers on Tuesday. Without wanting to demean Rooney’s achievements at that tender age, I would say it is too early to start wasting adjectives on Rooney and comparing him with a living legend in the name of Pele. There is only one Pele and as the legend himself once said, the factory that made him closed long time ago. Rooney has started well but the English must wait before over praising the lad. In fact, we know that English are good at fooling the world using the media. The same Rooney they have gone on the mountain praising today can be a villain tomorrow as they did with Beckham after the 1998 World Cup. |
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