Bola Tabloid Magazine

Charles Musonda Snr: A Career That Ended In Devastation

The achievements of one Charles Musonda are often ignored and overshadowed by those of legendary Zambian football icon Kalusha Bwalya. But Musonda is one of the high profile players who ever played for Zambia. Today, Musonda is still an unsung hero due to his premature career at the national team.

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He stays in Belgium and recently had a role of Assistant Coach at African giants TP Mazembe.

Charles Musonda Snr. (Right) with his son Charlie Musonda

Just like many legendary Zambian players, Musonda was born in Mufurila in the Copperbelt of Zambia in 1969. He started his football career at Mighty Mufulira Wanderers where Bwalya was one of his teammates.

However, his debut at the Zambia National Team was in 1988 when Zambia faced faced Ghana in Lusaka at the Independence stadium. Musonda did not disappoint in his first call up to the national team.

This earned him a place at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul South Korea where Zambia had a successful run beating Italy and Guatemala by 4 - 0 scoreline.

Musonda's career at the national team was cut short in 1993 after he got traumatised following the tragic accident which claimed the entire Zambia national team off the coast of Gabon enroute to Senegal for the World Cup qualifiers.

Reports indicate that Musonda was supposed to be part of the travelling squad but his coach at Anderlect told him to reject the call.

In terms of club career, Musonda had a successful club career with Belgian side Cercle Brugge and Anderlect among other other clubs.

Charles Musonda at Anderlect

Musonda's career suffered a setback in 1991 when he suffered a nagging knee injury which lasted for five years before he hanged his boot to become a youth coach with AA Ghent before he settled at Anderlect.

Some of the players who passed through Musonda's hands at the Anderlect youth club include: Romelu Lukaku, Jordan Lukaku, Youri Tielemann, Kelvin De Bruyne, Dries Martens, Marianne Fellaini and Adrian Januzaj.

During his active career Musonda won the Belgian League three times, the Belgian Cup and was one of the runners up for the European Cup Winners Cup which later became the UEFA Europa League.

Musonda is the father to Chelsea player Charlie Musonda Junior who refused to play for Zambia, Lamisha Musonda and Tilka Musonda who both had stint at Chelsea youth clubs.

Andrew Kamanga has turned Football House Into A Kantemba, He Should Resign, Demands Bowman Lusambo

Former Lusaka Province Minister Bowman Bowman Lusambo has called on Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) president Andrew Kamanga to immediately resign from his position.

And Lusambo has said that Kamanga has managed to turn Football House into a make shift stall (Kantemba).

In a post monitored on his official Facebook handle, Lusambo said if Kamanga had an iota of self respect and morals, he should never walk through the doors of Football House as President again.

"He should immediately resign and apologize for embarrassing the nation and promise himself and his family to stay far away from anything to do with football," Lusambo said.

He said it was unacceptable for Zambia to lose to Lesotho and Eswatini at the ongoing COSAFA tournament.

Lusambo said that Kamanga promised to recruit a world class coach and if Milutin 'Micho' Sredojevic is the best in the eyes of Kamanga then he does not know football.

"Losing to nations such as Eswatini, Bostwana and Lesotho is unacceptable by any standards. The buck stops at Mr Kamanga’s door. When he campaigned to enter Football House, he promised to recruit a World class Coach, well, if in Mr Kamanga’s head Coach Micho is world class, he surely doesn’t know anything about football," he said.

Lusambo said that when he started the anti-Kamanga campaign most people believed it was frivolous and personal.

"When we started the Andrew Kamanga Must Go Campaign, a number of people and organisations deemed our campaign frivolous and personal.

"They thought we were out to get their man. Now that it is more clearer than day break that Zambian football under Mr Kamanga is as good as dead, we feel vindicated."

Lusambo said that the Chipolopolo has lost it's grip is no longer the team that conquered many big teams in Africa and the world.

"The Chipolopolo that turns up today on national assignment today donning that dreadful Kopa strip is unrecognizable from the team that conquered the big boys of Africa and the world with mesmerizing display of football skills wearing respectable," said Lusambo.

Meanwhile, Lusambo said that Kamanga has managed to turn Football House into a make shift stall by chasing his lieutenants like Adrian Kashala who was recently sent on administrative leave.

"We know the mess you have caused at Football House and we know that Adrian Kashala, the man you have forced to go on leave will one day tell the nation the full story when the time is right. You have conveniently pushed out Mr Kashala so that you can run Football House like a Kantemba, the same way you have operated your Tuntemba companies," said Lusambo.

Enock Mwepu Become The Second Zambian Player to Join the English Premier League This Summer

English Premier League side Brighton and Hove have signed Enock Mwepu from reigning Austrian champions Red Bull Salzburg on a four-year deal, on undisclosed terms.

The 23-year-old becomes Graham Potter's first signing ahead of the 2021/22 Premier League campaign, which will be Albion's fifth consecutive year in the top-flight.

The Albion head coach said, "We're delighted to be able to welcome Enock to the club and are looking forward to working with him.

"He has a great deal of experience for somebody of his age, including Champions League and international football.

"He's primarily a central midfielder, but he’s also capable of playing in numerous positions, is open-minded, adaptable and very keen to learn and develop.

"He will add competition to our existing options in that area of the squad going into the new season."

Enock Mwepu arriving in England

Mwepu came through the ranks with NAPSA stars in his homeland, joining Salzburg in 2017.

A Zambian international, he was nicknamed 'The Computer' by Red Bull fans, based on his ability to read the game.

He made 81 league appearances over his four years at the Red Bull Arena, scoring 11 goals and laying on nine assists, while also playing in every one of their Champions League group stage games last season.

Mwepu was also on the scoresheet in this year's OFB-Cup Final, grabbing a goal and an assist in a 3-0 win over Lask.

He has been a regular for the Zambia national team since his debut in September 2017.

Frederic Oumar Kanoute: The Brain Behind The Success Of Patson Daka And Enock Mwepu

Zambia is a talent factory of world class players who have the ability to play in any competitive league environment around the world.

It has, however, been observed that the penetration of Zambian players into some of the biggest leagues in the world has been very low.

For instance, Zambia has only managed to produce three players (Collins Mbesuma, Emmanuel Mayuka and Patson Daka) who have managed to penetrate into the English league which many consider to be competitive and lucrative.

Generally, what affects Zambian players penetration into competitive and lucrative leagues is not the lack of talent but failure to be managed by competent football agents.

The success of Patson Daka and Enock Mwepu is a classical example of players who have been well managed from the time they were still infants to the level they are.

Many of you have come to appreciate their talent but you have not bothered to discover the brains behind their success.

Meet Frederic Oumar Kanoute, the man behind the success of Patson Daka and Enock Mwepu.

Frederic Oumar Kanoute (Picture Credit: Getty Images)

Kanoute is a former Malisn international who in 2007 was crowned Africa Footballer of the Year after a successful season with Sevilla.

The 43 year old says it was never his dream to start a football agency but was coerced into it after noticing how African players were treated by their agents.

"It has never been a dream of mine to have an agency or become an agent but I was almost forced or pushed into it," says Frederic Kanuote told the BBC.

Enock Mwepu Set To Join English Premier League side Brighton and Hoves

Chipolopolo midfielder Enock Mwepu is set to join English Premier League side Brighton and Hove on a permanent feal that is rumoured to be around €25 million.

Mwepu was last week granted permission to leave the Red Bull Salzburg camp yo negotiate his contract.

Earlier reports had indicated that the mercurial midfielder fondly referred to as Computer was set to move to Germany side RB Leipzig, a sister club to Red Bull Salzburg.

Other reports indicated that Mwepu was wanted by Borrusia Dortmund who had put up a bid of €18.5 million.

Enock Mwepu

But lastest reports on Twitter indicate that Mwepu has agreed a five year deal with the English Premier League side.

Last season, Brighton and Hoves finished 16th in the English Premier League.

The computer who is set to undergo medicals today will be the second Zambian to move to the Premier League this summer after his former Red Bull Salzburg compatriot Patson Daka sealed a five year deal with Leicester City worth £23 million.

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Patson Daka Become The Third Zambian To Feature In The English Premier League

As the euphoria surrounding Patson Daka's move to the English Premier League continues, Bola Tabloid Magazine explores some of the Zambians who have had playing stint in the world's most competitive and lucrative league.

The first Zambian player to play in the English Premier League was Collins Mbesuma who featured for Portsmouth.

Collins Mbesuma

Mbesuma joined Portsmouth in the summer of 2005 from South African giants Kaizer Chiefs. After a successful season, Mbesuma joined the English side but his stay there was not successful as he was loaned to Portuguese side CS Maritimo in July 2006.

Emmanuel Mayuka

Emmanuel Mayuka became the second Zambian to feature in the English Premier League when he joined Southampton on August 28 2012.

He made his debut for Southampton against Manchester United on September 2, 2012 as a substitute.

Mayuka appeared again in 4 - 1 victory against Aston Villa winning a prnalpe for the fourth goal.

Mayuka left Southampton on a loan deal after a year to join French Ligue One Sochaux on a one year deal.

Mayuka was discharged from Southampton in 2015 after failing failing to score in 16 league appearances.

With this information, Patson Daka becomes the third player from Zambia to play in the English Premier League.

Meanwhile, Fred Mwila Senior and Emmity Kapengwe became the first Zambians to play in England when they featured for then Division II side Aston Villa. This means they could not make it on the list as they did not feature in the premier league

Kalusha Bwalya also had a stint at Stoke City in about 1985 but failed the trials. The same can be said for Stophilla Sunzu who had trials at Reading.

Kalusha Bwalya Urges Daka To Work Hard As He Moves To Leicester City

Kalusha Bwalya (Left) with Patson Daka (Right)

Zambian football icon Kalusha Bwalya has showered praise on Leicester City new signing Patson Daka.

Daka was identified as a player during the reign of Kalusha Bwalya between 2012 and 2015.

He received his first national team call-up around 2015 when Bwalya was FAZ President.

Bwalya said Daka has worked hard to climb this high mountain adding that there are more opportunities coming along his way.

"Congratulations Sonny, you have worked hard and climbed this mountain. There are many more coming your way. Keep climbing and keep shining. With your hard work and discipline you will move mountains and make us all proud. Go out there and play your heart," he said.

Bwalya is considered by many as the most successful player in the history of Zambian football who has managed to win international accolades like the Africa Footballer of the Year; the first from Southern Africa to do so.

Daka signed a five year contract with the England based side that will see him at the club up to 2026.

Daka, who is formerly of Red Bull Salzburg has broken the transfer record in Zambia and Southern Africa with his £23 million move to the former English Premier League side.

Leicester City had to beat Premier League rivals Chelsea and Liverpool in acquiring the services of the 22 year old Zambian.

Story credit: Derrick Sinjela