The Football Association of Zambia, FAZ today issued a press release, replying to what they termed as 'petty squables'.
FAZ Spokesman Akim Nkole said, "As national leaders we cannot afford to reply to every skeptic and critic."
"Unfortunately our silence has given our critics more ammuntion to continue discrediting the Association and its Executive Committee,"he said added.
Mr Nkole urged those who were campaigning to conduct their campaigns in a mature manner based on candidates manifestos and not on persistent attacks on the Executive Committe.
The FAZ spokeperson acknowledged that while they had their failures, they managed to score what he termed 'many successes' in the last four years.
Mr Nkole said" We are one of the best dressed Associations," refering to the renewed Nike sponsorship deal that covers the senior,Under 23, 20 and 17 men's national teams as well as the Women's national teams. The Nike deal is worth 200 000 Euros.
He highlighted the Television Sponsorship deal with Supersport of South Africa which will see Super Division clubs being awarded an amount of US$25 000 each for the year 2008.
The Teddy Mulonga led Executive negotiated the first ever league sponsorship in the history of Zambian football with Konkola Copper Mines amounting to K3 Billion over three years in 2005. Nkole said"We are in the process of negotiating a new three year package that will see some significant improvement from the previous sponsorship."
He also cited the coming of Barclays Bank sponsored Barclays Cup as one of their major scores of the Association.
On where it matters most, Nkole boasted that the Executive managed to qualify Zambia to the last two editions of the MTN African Cup of Nations. In addition to that, under the tenure of office, the Chipolopolo Boys managed to qualify to three finals of the regional COSAFA Castle Cup and winning one title in 2006.
The under-20 also reached the last-16 of the 2007 World Youth Cup in canada.
The FAZ Spokesperson also noted that for first in 20 years, Zambia managed to have a match official officiating at the latter stages of the African Cup of Nations. Zambian linesman, Kenneth Chichenga has officiated at the 2006 and 2008 AFCON finals.
On the regrets of the association, Nkole noted that they would loved to have won the African Nations Cup but things didn't work out.
Read the complete post at http://zambianfootball.blogspot.com/2008/02/faz-blow-their-trumpet.html
Posted
Feb 22 2008, 06:18 AM
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