Extra time this week flies you to a memorable pearch in Southern Province. We link up with Division one out fit New Monze swallows, a team that has defied the logic of football gravity as they soared to the helm of the Southern zone and booked one of those nkstvlooked into ticket to the super league of 2018 season.
The thumptuous achievement is unprecedented in the history of Swallows and Bwezani set a week long base in Monze to dig deep into this achievement from the brains behind the curtains.
From the Exco Perspective
The club General Secretary and mouth piece of it all earlier in the season told me this :
” Its a success story”.
The town of Monze has had a team by the name of Monze Swallows before and this explains why this baby born with teeth is named ‘New Monze Swallows’ but why New Monze swallows of all names and where are the remains of the original Monze swallows resting?
We shift our restless attention to Mr. Nicholas Katiti Moomba and I wont dilute his words.
” Bwezani i never thought you would start with the name New Monze Swallows. But nothing much with serious connection though having the same sponsor who is Monze municipal Council where the team derives its name. Monze swallows was a competitive side in the 90s but went under.”
He takes a break to clear his throat and continues.
“New Monze swallows was started by the community members without the involvement of the council under the names Momba though earlier, it was called Green Eagles. Aftet breaking into the second division, we approached the coucil who then suggested the name Monze Swallows. This was to perve way for the continuity of the the Swallows team but we added up the word new to distinguish the current swallows from the swallows of the 90s.”
After mantaining command of the division one zone four and the subsequent break into the Super League , New Monze Swallows is undoubtedly a house hold name in Zambian football. The team nurtures a cluster of exciting talent but the team is head on against some heart breaking huddles that have been crepting hard into the flesh and bone of the Executive sponsoring the players especially.
Mr Mooba’s heart swells with heart melting emotions as he breaks down some of the challenges the club has been battling out the last season. ”
Bwezani, when people read about Monze Swallows, they think its all beds of roses and that New Monze Swallows is comfortable. Far from it. Its very expensive to run a club in Zambia and keeping one breathing calls for lots of sacrifice. The biggest challenge is that of keeping our players motivated. The challenges which our ccouncils face are not alien to any one. Its demonising to say our players had not recieved any dues in 2017 but thats the reality on the ground.”
The General secretary adds that as a team, they are keen to have the players motivated and some of their long term plans are to employ the players but not everyone can be employed at a goal. Hithertho, some players have been employed by the main sponsor while others are making their bread and butter from what they get from Moomba enterprises who is the co-sponsor.
2017 Season Performance
The performance has been mind blowing and according to the general secretary, the success is birthed from the self motivation players have. He adds that players have not only been committed but also industrious and show great virtues of sacrifice.
With the qualification to the Super League in their pockets the team has set objectives.
” Our first objective for the season was to win the zone at mid season and play the Barclays cup, a feat which we have achieved and we are very excited.
Secondly, we needed to get our hands dirty and power through into top flight football next year. Which. we have achieved, we must keep our momentum and fight not being relegated
The Swallows strong man is alive to the ecstasies of joy the team has been planting in the hearts of many Monze residents due to the good perfomance.
A Call to Monze Residents
He calls on the Monze bussiness houses and and well wishers to wake up and smell the coffee by being part of this history in the making. He says the fruits are clear and soon, they will be ripe.
Let the people be proud of the team because it belongs to them, we convey our heart felt gratitude to all those who come to cheer the team but we want everyone to come on board. Now that we are in the super league , the expenses will be more than what we incured in division One . Hence, we need every one on this cruising plane. He concluded.
Technical Bench View
The team assistant coach hailed his players for the splendit perfomance of the season adding that the players were looking foward to participate in the super league .
Fans View and Appeal
Charles Brighton Chibaala who runs the New Monze Swallows facebook fan page on voluntary basis also challenged the Fans to each ask him or her self what they were doing to support the New Swallows. He encouraged all fans to access the affiliation cards which were underway.
Summary
New Monze Swallows alongside Kabwe Youths Soccer Academy, Kitwe United and National Assembly have all qualified to play in the Super League in 2018.
The super league challenge
Mammoth task and as earlier stated the people of Monze will have to be good to the team economic wise if the team is to survive their stay in the super league.
It’s now travelling every second week and this time not only in two provinces as was the case on division one but across the country.
I don’t know where the team will be playing their games and it’s something that the rest of the country will be looking out for.
For now the team has called for trials and ghats ghetto starting point the most challenging will be maintaining the salaries if the players and of course bonuses. Division One was easy but now for the team to survive, they will have to keep their players happy.
The most important thing is there is a third team in the super league in southern Province. Whether they will be able to stay one, we all await to see.
BEST WISHES TO NEW MONZE SWALLOWS.
