SO Egypt are the African champions again? Not only once but in three successive editions. And that’s on a continent with 51 other countries.

Maybe five of the countries – Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire, Algeria, Nigeria and Cameroon – had exhausted their ammunition on World Cup campaigns.

The rest dipped their efforts in the well of honour but not as deep as the Pharaohs – a record seven titles, three of which are in succession since 2006.

And Zambia? The celebrations are too loud to ignore but the furthest our dear Chipolopolo could go was a quarterfinal loss to Nigeria, 5-4 on penalties.

Not to take anything away from Herve Renard’s team, they posted some good displays against Tunisia, Cameroon, Gabon and Nigeria.

Yet I think the team could have done much better than reflected considering the state of our opponents at the competition.

Tunisia fielded a youthful team reconstituted three months before the tournament, Cameroon has had a limping side with age naturally calling on most of its stars to phase out and Nigeria are at their lowest ebb in recent times.

African football legend Abedi Pele rightly observed that the level of competition at the 27th edition was not up to scratch.

Therefore, a full strength Zambian side playing some of its finest football in 14 years should have been among the best four – if not the winners.

Undoubtedly, there was very little hope for any meaningful showing by Zambia going into the Africa Cup of Nations, owing to a scrappy record during the qualifiers.

A little more of the Africa Cup performance is what was expected of Chipolopolo during the qualifiers and I’m sure we would have been talking of South Africa 2010 World Cup but Renard’s response will be; ‘Zambians think their team is the best in the world.’ No, that’s not an illusionary thought. Zambia has the potential to become the best in Africa. Look at how Chipolopolo with boys from humble leagues faired at the continental showpiece.

The belief the boys demonstrated was impressive, the verve astounding, the unity only befitting more than a quarterfinal exit.

Unfortunately, luck least manifests when highly expected and that’s how I sum up our outing to Angola although Renard wants us to believe he has delivered the extraordinary. No! Not as far as Zambia is concerned. He has added a good element to the team but nothing beyond what our history holds.

Most significant for Zambia is the importance to consolidate the youth structures considering the benefits as demonstrated by the current team.

If you scan through the 23-member team and take a look into the past junior national teams, you will know what I’m referring to.
And one man who sat out and proudly watched the team produce some sparks was Renard’s deputy - George Lwandamina.

Lwandmina’s contributions are unnoticed almost earning the nickname ‘cone-master’ but his footprints are visible in the performance of the team.

Skipper Christopher Katongo and his brother Felix’s character at national level was spotted after Lwandamina fondly known as ‘Chicken Geo’ tapped the duo from Forest Rangers into the Zambia Army side, Green Buffaloes.
Rainford Kalaba, Stopilla Sunzu, Emmanuel Mayuka, Hichani Himoonde, Dennis Banda, Clifford Mulenga, Jacob Banda, William Njobvu have all danced to Lwandamina’s fine-tuning tactics at youth level over the last six years.

The likes of Jacob Mulenga, Francis Kasonde, Isaac Chansa, Noah Chivuta and Collins Mbesuma including Christopher have traces of Peter Kaumba’s contribution at Under-23 level. They have now matured and Renard can swim in raving reviews as the best coach Zambia has ever engaged. Kalusha also takes the credit for Jacob and James Chamanga while Patrick Phiri apportions due cognition for the likes of Chintu Kampamba and Joseph Musonda. Renard ‘s discoveries in Emmanuel Mbola and Thomas Nyirenda are also good.

But its Lwandamina’s association with the youth structures, however weak they maybe, since 2004 that hugely influences today’s Chipolopolo if credit goes to coaches. And he is a worthy mention to their outing at the competition. He is my unsung star at the Africa Cup of Nations.

It is for this reason that I firmly believe in equipping local coaches by training them as well as providing sufficient exposure for our sport to develop.

Rest assured, they will not jump on a modest quarterfinal placing to market themselves at midnight to a ‘big’ African team in the midst of a tournament by crying out the loudest like Renard did.

I have known about Renard’s dream to coach a ‘big’ African team for sometime and I have no problems with such ambitions but not at the expense of Chipolopolo.

Renard should pause and ask himself if any of those big teams he is courting would have dared accepting his CV when he was in Ghana. In addition to that, it is also important for him to reflect on his abilities.

If he guided Malawi, Swaziland or Lesotho to the Africa Cup, will they have made the last eight? My hat will definitely be off to him as the African Jose Mourinho if what he did to Zambia was in Madagascar or Mauritius.
It reminds me of what a Ghanaian colleague once said; ‘Renard needs Zambia more than you need him.’ I will not be wrong to agree with him further.
Suffice to say, I understand how Renard’s excitement has became uncontrollable after a quarterfinal exit. It was his first time as head coach but rather a mediocre target for a country like Zambia.
Renard owes his little success so far to Zambia’s rich football talent and not vice versa. It will be good if he respected this great footballing nation.

Renard, Erick on Kalumiana Kalumiana
It’s not surprising that FAZ communications officer Erick Mwanza and Renard are still basking in the Africa Cup hangover to justify their continued jungle-like attacks on Post sports journalist Kalumiana Kalumiana during the Africa Cup of Nations in Angola.

Firstly, there is no justification in Erick’s decision to bar Kalumiama from covering Chipolopolo in Angola but he is obviously inspired by their boss Kalusha Bwalya. They all view the truth when laid bare to their face as a serious obstacle in their selfish ambitions.

My advise to Erick is to go back and consult his job description to get a better understanding about it, otherwise he is defeating the purpose of having a communications officer at Football House. Additionally, telling the truth will not harm Erick but instead help him execute his duties professionally.
But trusting Erick will tell the truth is equivalent to testing the depth of the river with your feet. I have spoken to a number of players that were in Angola about the meeting Erick is claiming resolved Kalumiana should not be around the Zambia hotel. The feedback I get is contrary to Erick’s statements. It’s not strange.

It’s a surprise change from Renard that his attacks are not at those who critisiced him and his team during the qualifiers but Kalumiana alone.

I think the Frenchman is applying double-standards and giving us versions that suit him.
In Benguela, he directed his venom at those that had criticised him and the team in the presence of Xavier Manchinshi (Times of Zambia), Robinson Kunda (Zambia Daily Mail) and the international media.
He said he was hitting back at his perceived critics after the team qualified to the quarterfinals but at Football House on Wednesday, it was one journalist. Which version of Renard’s statement should we believe – Benguela or Football House?

Monsieur Renard, no Zambian, journalists inclusive will tolerate mediocre performance with defeats from non-entities like Zanzibar unless they covered themselves in the veil of pretence.

I actually attempted to contact Renard on his mobile to clarify a few points I found misleading about Kalumiana at his press briefing.

He didn’t respond and reasons are best, rightfully so, known to himself.

That said, I wish to remind Renard that he has been one of the least criticised coaches in Zambia. Failure to nurse the quarterfinal hangover may be understandable today, but even the CHAN bronze was forgotten after Zanzibar coupled Chipolopolo’s misery with a lame Afcon record last year.

Renard has shown very little allegiance to Chipolopolo after Afcon and my view is that he categorically states his future.

The Frenchman must also be reminded that FAZ president Kalusha Bwalya is not Zambian football or vice versa as he mistakenly wants to think.

Little wonder he has no respect for other executive committee members like vice-president Emmanuel Munaile because only Kalusha excavated him from the physical education realm.

Renard was employed by FAZ, not Kalusha alone and is answerable to the entire executive committee. Like Renard and many others, I didn’t agree with Munaile and the technical committee on shaking up the technical bench prior to the Africa Cup of Nations but that does not warrant the uncharacteristic disrespect the Frenchman is subjecting FAZ officials to.

Sadly, this is a self-created problem that mushrooms when an individual is built into some sort of a cult by fellow elected FAZ members.

And Renard is capitalising on it clearly displaying their role as inconsequential to the equation when they are supposed to be key in the management of the game. Take it as a lesson gentlemen and ladies.

Conduct yourself as the gentleman I have thought you are Mr Renard since coming to Zambia instead of dancing to the deranged tune of Football House.

Many thanks to Kalumiana for sitting in perfectly well as I laid back for three weeks to fully concentrate on the action from Angola.