CHIPOLOPOLO Soccer Fans Association (CSFA) patron William Harrington yesterday commended the government for offering monetary incentives to the team ahead of tomorrow's 2010 FIFA Africa/World Cup qualifier against Rwanda.

And some Lusaka-based soccer fans have vowed to continue airing their concerns over alleged poor administration of football in the country.

Meanwhile, former FAZ president Michael Chiti has welcomed Kalusha Bwalya's instructions to ban players from offering interviews to local journalists.

In a statement yesterday, CSFA patron William Harrington said sports minister Kenneth Chipungu's initiative to provide funds was welcome.

"We encourage the players to reciprocate to the Zambian taxpayers by doing anything in their powers to qualify to Angola 2010," he said.

Harrington stated that there should be no excuse from any quarter should Zambia fail to qualify given the tremendous gesture by government.

"We the soccer fans hope that our players will not deny us the rare opportunity of travelling to Angola for the 2010 games," he said.

The government has staked US $3500 (about K15.7 million) per player should Chipolopolo beat Rwanda tomorrow.

A group of fans gathered at Katondo Street in Lusaka yesterday, for the second time this week, expressing displeasure at FAZ communications officer Erick Mwanza's attempt to involve police in their matter.

“We are annoyed with Erick Mwanza, he wants to threaten us. Erick is not an elected person, we raise our personal money to go and watch football. He shouldn’t threaten to send the police to arrest us, if he wants us to spill the beans, he should continue with that behaviour,” the group's representative Eddie ‘Mankucha’ Musonda warned.

“He is the one saying rubbish because he is not there when we are crying because we want the Zambia national team to do well. We don’t want to turn football into politics . He claims someone is sponsoring us- we are just not happy with the selection of players. We are not scared and we should not be intimidated because we are Zambians.”

Another fan Kelvin Samungole said the supporters were not happy with FAZ.
“The national team is for the country. We are entitled to support the team. They shouldn’t segregate that only pastor Makembo is the supporter,” he said .

And Boniface Kamboni said FAZ should heed advise.

“We get on buses using our own money, Makembo is paid for. Why should we keep losing games. We are waiting for police to come. They should let Zambians speak out,” he said.

On Wednesday, Mwanza said FAZ had written to Inspector General of Police Francis Kasonde to investigate and establish the people behind the supporters that attempted to cause confusion at Football House on Tuesday.

On Monday, the supporters gathered at Katondo Street to protest over the dropping of Germany-based midfielder Andrew Sinkala ahead of tomorrow's crucial fixture against Rwanda.

The soccer fans also demanded for the resignation of Kalusha Bwalya's executive committee for alleged poor administration at Football House.

Meanwhile, Chiti has supported FAZ president Kalusha Bwalya for banning players from giving interviews to local journalist.

In an interview in Ndola, Chiti said Bwalya was right to stop players from issuing statements.

"When I was president I did not allow players to give interviews, so I am in support of what Kalusha Bwalya is doing. Players should not be allowed to give interviews. There are channels that players are supposed to follow if they have complaints not giving interviews to anyone.

"What Kalusha has done is the right thing; I am in support of that. Can you imagine players giving interviews to different types of people? In the end, they will be confusion," he said.

Chiti said if players were aggrieved and wanted to complain, they knew the right channel to follow unlike rushing to the media.

Chiti said Bwalya's decision should be upheld and supported.