ZESCO United Football Club Team Ya Ziko
16-year-old Mutale Sangwani, is an example of a budding player who has developed through the ZESCO United youth structures.
The young striker has steadily graduated from the ZESCO United U-14 to the club’s U-19 youth team.
Last week, Sangwani was among a handful of young players who were selected across ZESCO United’s feeder teams for a one-week trial organized by ZESCO United Football Club Management.
“I am happy to participate in these trials because it has given me an opportunity to show the coaches that I can play at another level. I am very fortunate to be among the players selected for these trials.
There was a lot of competition especially that other players are coming from teams that play in division one. It was an important competition for us all and I am confident I will be among the best.”
Like Sangwani, Willard Nkausu’s ambition is to one day play for ZESCO United Football Club.
Nkausu a central defender with Zesco Malaiti was fighting to get on the books of the first team by impressing the club’s technical bench led by coach George Lwandamina.
“It is rare that you get a chance to compete at this level. It was a good competition for everyone because this was a chance for us to show the technical bench that we are ready for the next challenge.”
To Lumwana Kasoma, ZESCO United youth player, this was a chance for him to get the necessary exposure from other players.
“The ambition for everyone was to put in their best and hopefully get a chance to join the main team. As a young player, it was a very important experience for me to learn from other players and improve in other key areas.”
ZESCO United Football Club’s player recruitment policy has taken a shift in recent times with a focus towards youth players.
Management at the club strategically organized, a week-long trial for the club’s feeder teams.
“This is in line with our policy to try and ensure that ZESCO United is not purchasing players from other clubs but developing players from our own feeder clubs. There is Zesco Malaiti Rangers in Lusaka, Victoria Falls in Livingstone, Zesco Shockers in Mongu, and teams from solwezi, Luapula.
We asked the coaching staff from these teams to send us five of their best players and our head coach is having a look at them with a view to getting the best for further development at ZESCO United Football Club,” disclosed, ZESCO United Football Club, Chief Executive Officer(CEO), Richard Mulenga.
Over the years, the club has seen fewer players graduating from the feeder teams to ZESCO United first team. However, the club is working tirelessly to change the trend.
“We haven’t done well in that aspect over the years. I can only think of John Ching’andu and our former goalkeeper, Brown Nyirenda. There has been some change in recent times with John Chishimba and Samson Mkandawire who have been promoted to the first team.
“Our mandate now is to see more and more of these players come through the ranks because that is our current policy. So this camping was crucial for both ZESCO United as a club, the feeder teams and the players,” Mulenga added.
Author: Desmond Katongo
