Zambia's greatest soccer commentator Dennis Liwewe has challenged Zambia's new generation of players to emulate the commitment and discipline of the 'Fallen Heroes.'

Indeed the nation was trounced because it had lost assets which were unreplaceable.The lads were just unstoppable and had we not lost them, we would have been talking about how Zambia national soccer team lifted the 1994 Africa cup trophy.

"Thousands wailed while hundreds failed as the 30 bodies of the plane crash victims arrived at Lusaka International Airport from Gabon yesterday to an emotionally charged and moaning reception attended by President Fredrick Chiluba and almost the entire Cabinet including Vice President Levy Patrick Mwanawansa," wrote the Daily Mail on May 3,1993.

President Chiluba knelt down before wailing family members of the deceased with some of them crying for his help to console them.

"Ba Chiluba mutusungeko! Ba Chiluba mutusungeko ! Uyu e wali lesa wesu," wrote the Daily Mail again.

The tragedy marked the start to the declined standard in Zambian football. There were even calls to withdraw from the Africa and World Cup qualifiers.

But the legendary Kalusha 'Great Kalu ' Bwalya was quoted by Daily Mail on May 2, 1993, "The players who were instrumental in making Zambia a formidable team are gone and we are back to square. I don't know whether we will be able to have another team but we must not give up," said the then PSV based

In an interview with Zambiafootball.com on Monday at the Gabon Disaster Memorial site to mark the 15th commeration of the tragedy, Liwewe said,"What do we learn from our great, great, great players...? he asked.

"The new football generation must emulate their commitment for the glorius performances they did.Many Zambian football players must first emulate their selflessness and they must play first to the glory of mother Zambia not money," He emphasised.

"If they were alive they could have qualified to the World Cup finals (USA 94)." he added

According to the cerebrated icon, 'Fallen Heroes' could have lifted the 1994 Afcon trophy.

"Remember, the government and Football Association of Zambia, FAZ in collaboration after the disaster picked up boys from the street and we reached the Afcon finals," he said alluding to the new team that were beaten by Nigeria 2-1 in the finals.

"If they were around, we could have brought the first Afcon trophy to mother Zambia." The man who has promised to be the commetry box if the Chipolopolo qualifies for 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

Liwewe has also urged to 'the new generation' to honour the 'Fallen Heroes' by lifting the 2010 Afcon trophy and qualifying for 2010 World Cup.

"Our greatest day and their greatest day will be when we win the Afcon trophy in Angola and qualifying to the World Cup finals in South Africa."

Dennis Liwewe consoling Kalusha Bwalya in 1993

"Their moaning, anger and the sacrifice they made will be meaningless untill we achieve those goals( Angola and SA 2010) will they remain in the grave and sleep in peace," the grieving legend said.

On the 15th commeration he said,"Its a contribution of memory, sadness and a lesson to learn."

"Memory because, I knew the boys from the time they were twelve years old. Followed their football careers until the national team where i travelled with them to many places."
Sad day to us, its now 15 years," said Liwewe.


Determination and Commitment is the difference between the fallen heroes and the new era
Memories will always remain fresh on that solemn Wednesday morning of 28 April 1993 when news came in that the entire Chipolopolo squad aboard a military plane in route to Senegal for a 1994 world qualifier had perished in the Atlantic ocean on the coast of Libreville, Gabon.

As a soccer loving fan,I could not believe the news.I had to imagine football without my favourite team comprising the likes of Wisdom 'Summer bee' Chansa,Samuel Chomba,Kelvin 'Malaza' Mutale,Robert 'Roblo' Watiakeni,Efford Chabala,Timothy 'Teacher' Mwitwa,the then Kalampa captain Estone Mulenga,Kenan 'Kayeye' Simambe and others in that gallant squad.
I could not believe what had hit the Zambian soccer fraternity and I rushed to Arthur Davies Stadium (home of Power 90) which was just near home to confirm the news.Late Edwin Kanyanta who was assistant to Alex Chola (who was among the victims) had to even call off the training session at Arthur Davies as everyone was in deep shock and could not believe the sad news.I looked for the previous day's newspaper to confirm the players who had made the trip to Senegal and I doubted if I was ever going to enjoy my beloved game looking at the calibre of players and coaches the disaster had claimed.
The Gabon disaster left a big gap in the history of Zambian football as it claimed players who were not only talented but determined and committed.They belived in hard work and teamwork and this made them heroes because they brought Glory and pride to the nation and we were rated amongst the giants in African football.

The then Chipolopolo skipper Kalusha Bwalya and other remaining Senior players from the fallen heroes team that included the likes of Johnson Bwalya,Aggrey Chiyangi,Emmanuel Munaile,the Malitoli brothers,Kapambwe 'Gentile' Mulenga,Linos 'Sokle' Makwaza and others kept the dream alive and maintained the same principles of determination and commitment in the team.

They continued being a force in African football and almost qualified to the USA 94 world cup had it not been for Diramba that controversial Gabonese referee and also missed the AFCON tittle by an inch via a 2-1 loss to the Stephen Keshi Nigeria.The same team was at the RSA 96 AFCON with a few inclusions where they were bronze medalists.

The effects of the gap the Gabon disaster left started manifesting after 1998 when most of the players from the fallen heroes era left the Chipolopolo squad.The new players that came on the scene did not have the commitment and determination like the fallen heroes and with time the famous giant Chipolopolo became a shadow of it's self and moved from a class of giants to an average African side.

Promising stars like Mwape Miti,Vincent Mutale,Jones Mwewa,Emmanuel Zulu,Fred Mwila jnr,Ronald Mbambara,Melvin Mwila,Gibson Shikilwa,Charles Lota,Musonda Mwape and many others who have come in this post Gabon disaster era have all failed to emulate the fallen heroes despite even having opportunities to play in big leagues with the coming of scouts an opportunity which the likes of Kelvin Mutale never had.

The recent revelation by France based international Felix Katongo that the difference between Rennes and African clubs is commitment and discipline only disclosed the difference between our current crop of players and the fallen heroes.Most of our players lack determination and commitment and this has reduced the level of competition resulting in a lot of average players in our local league.

This situation has affected the consistency of the national team and the performance of our local clubs at CAF tourneys.Our players need to realise that they have a duty to to retain the respect the fallen heroes attained by reclaiming the Chipolopolo status of an African soccer giant.

The talent is not the problem we always find it and it is still in abundance.The current team comprising of the likes of skipper Katongo his brother Felix,Isaac Chansa,Jacob Mulenga,Emmanuel Mayuka,Rainford Kalaba,Clifford Mulenga and many others are excellent players capable of resurrecting the fallen heroes dream if only they adopt the fallen heroes principles of determination and commitment.

It remains a duty of the Kalusha led FAZ executive to inspire the young talent and stress the importance of determination,discipline and commitment for their football careers and the nation at large if we are to continue from where the fallen heroes ended.