THE RESURGENCE OF NKANA IS ENCOURAGING – BUT HAS IT COME A LITTLE TOO LATE?
They are affectionately referred to as Kalampa (Clamp) and the fashionable ones call them Likulu (Giant). Which ever way one chooses to point to Nkana FC, it will in the end return to their history and their once upon time dominance of the local league. And they almost conquered the continent of Africa. Those are the boys they call “abapa chilata” (who belong at metal sheets).
You have to give it to Kalampa in the manner they have extricated themselves from pain and anguish and re emerge as a threat at the top. Its been double change in the season. Having two former sons to swap duties. Zeddy Saleiti going to Lumwana Radiants and Quicksilver Bestone Chambeshi coming to Nkana. On the return. Fresh from lifting the Afcon U20 title and a dance at the juniors world cup. What dance could it be to finish on the high with Nkana for Chambeshi
You may not have seen this coming but its true! The turn around was when Chambeshi sent Ronald Kampamba warming up during the Kopala derby! straight from an injury. That was the missing link that Nkana needed after being overrun by a determined Kabwe Warriors at Ucar Godfrey Chitalu.
On few occasions Nkana have had a turbulent and coarse trip this season. Troubles of marksman Walter Bwalya and change mentor….all these things can work against a team. But this is Nkana.
MAIN STRENGTH
In Ronald Kampamba, Walter Bwalya and Shadreck Musonda, Nkana have three of the most potent attackers in the land. They also have a manager in Bestone Chambeshi who has been around for a while in the Zambian game, kindly forget his last experience as Nkana coach, this time around he has this team believing.
MAIN WEAKNESS
There appears to be a disconnect between the way Bestone wants his team to play and their ability to actually carry out his instructions.
Defensively Nkana have looked all appeared to be at sixes and sevens, but they seem to be managing that well at the moment.
Nkana also have a disciplinary problem that needs resolving, with the team missing out the services of Walter Bwalya at the start of the season before being sent on leave due to his nationality issues. Nkana would have been somewhere up there if Walter was involved in all those games.
Chambeshi had mixed results this season on his return so far at Nkana. He has also been a divisive figure so after the under 20 world cup, with many followers seeming to revel in any difficulties the arch-aesthete is finding in the hurly-burly of the Super League.
Clearly it is far too early to judge Bestone on his second return and his considerable pedigree suggests he will eventually get things right at Nkana but top four finish looks to be the minimum measure he will be judged on .
Nonetheless he is feeling the pressure at the moment, and his passive-aggressive approach to the games are telling exactly what his employers are expecting him to do. Top four finish!!!
CURRENT MOOD AND FORM
The optimism of the three wins, two draws and one loss in the last six matches has been the reason Nkana is in the top four.
This transformed form has replaced a reluctant acceptance that it will take time for the team to fully adapt to Bestone’s tactics in his second coming. That said there is still confidence that Nkana could close the gap on the top three and mount a late challenge to the title as they did in 2013 .
DISTRACTION
Nkana are still in the race for the title though top four looks more realistic.
A less welcome distraction for Nkana in recent weeks has been the constant injuries to key players and recriminations around them, while Bestone has looked pre-occupied by his increasingly adversarial exit in his first chance to coach this team. He wants to beat that record of unceremonious exit last time around.
EXPERIENCE
Ronald Kampamba, Joseph Musonda and Simon Bwalya are among the players in the squad with experience of top-flight football, but the last biggest prize this team has won is the 2013 league title.
Largely the experience the squad has is of consistently finishing in the top four but falling short in the title race after 2013.
BIG MATCH TEMPERAMENT
Nkana have won three against the rest of the big six this season, though in slight mitigation three of those five matches were away from home. The defeats against Lusaka Dynamos and Green Buffaloes were particularly chastening but the win at Power Dynamos and Zesco United coupled by a home win against ZANACO demonstrated Nkana’s fighting qualities.
REMAINING MATCHES
Nkana is not meeting any of the top six teams, they have three teams they enjoy playing against visiting in Forest Rangers, Green Eagles and Konkola Blades.
The three away games are dicey and NKANA should be clinical to bug points in those fixtures. Buildcon, Red Arrows and perhaps a game that is expected to have sparks…… away to Mufulira Wanderers in week 37.
Yes Wanderers maybe struggling and fighting to stay afloat. But an encounter with Nkana is a traditional dish prepared for newly wedded. Sleeping demons always arise.
SO CAN THEY WIN THE TITLE?
Given the way they have fought back is not an insurmountable deficit for this team. Next season may be more realistic however. For this season, top four will be a serious achievement but they have to be clinical. The title looks to be a bridge too far for Bestone in his second coming!!!
I don’t think he is the Messiah!!
