ZESCO United to win the League in 2017
The 2017 season is getting closer and closer to moment of truth. Certainly the Afcon Under made us busy but the marathon is about to kick off.
The eminent increase in the number of players coming into the league from outside the Zambian borders adds impetus and could just make the league more and more interesting.
That addition of more foreign players on the Zambian scene exposes our league even to the outside world. We about to break the numbers previously we been accustomed to and that alone means this season won’t be an easy one. Huge surprises on the log at the end of the season should be expected.
TOP FOUR
I don’t expect major changes in the top four finish compared with 2016 season but the positions will be swapped without a doubt. Zesco for me will be the torch bearers for the season after having most of the players from last season. We are yet to see what is happening behind the scenes but I think they have learnt a big lesson to balance CAF and Super League and this will hand them the Super League . Zlat should be fast in learning the Zambian trade or else he maybe the weakest link.
Nkana has not made a lot of signings and will literally have the same squad but the inclusion of Aaron Katebe to their squad is a good one and that alone is enough for Nkana to hang on to the top four. The big question will be: Can they win the league? For me not as they will still end below ZESCO United.
I hope Zeddy Saileti will be given enough room to drive the agenda without any interference , I think that is what has been affecting Nkana for long.
ZANACO have put themselves in a very difficult situation as they look like building a ream again but we all know they are good at that,Through to the group stage but again and they could just surprise everyone and do better but they will have to be good to get out of group stages! We hope hey get a favourable group.
I think Numba has proved to be a good coach and his expertise is what is being relied upon for success than the squad.
If there is a season Power Dynamos could actually get closer to winning the title in recent times, this should be the one but the loss of Patson Daka came at a very wrong time and they will miss his valiable services. Lyson Sikaonga is a good replacement but he won’t find a way to replicate his division one prowess. The Super league is a different monster altogether which is tougher than Division one. Dan Kabwe will bring some hope but still it will be a bridge too dicey to cross. Power needed more players coming in especially upfront and in defence. They will still have the strength to finish in the top four. That is a no brainer!
The interesting inclusion of Buildcon and Lusaka Dynamos is one thing which will be one to look out for. They will push for top four but the challenge will be too much to handle. They need to fell and learn a lot from each otjer ! Top four I think not this season but they will seriously push.
Green Buffaloes, Red Arrows and Kabwe Warriors will be the three teams that will be pushing to break into the top six but they may not have the full materials to do that ranging from technical bench to the players .
Green Buffaloes has been inconsistent for sometime and it might appear like they are content with just playing top flight football without fight for the title, while Red Arrows will be learning the new threads from the new coach. Kabwe Warriors will do well to give Chintu Kampamba a chance to build a team no matter what position they finish on the table but he will be in the top 8.
An interesting group will be below 8 were I expect teams to fight avoiding relegation and the teams in this bracket will altenate in dropping into the relegation zone and out every once in a moments of the entire season. This is because these teams will have a lot of adjusting to do in their teams and they will lit the season with a lot of things to learn and gel.
These are NAPSA, Nkwazi, Green Eagles, Lumwana Radiants, Mufulira Wanderers and Forest Rangers but among these the more confident are Forest Rangers and Green Eagles as little will change. These two have almost maintained the shapes of their core team together with the technical teams.
Mufulira Wanderers is boggling my biased mind and difficult to place them because I dont know much detail on the going-ons of what really is happening with the team.
You don’t overhaul a team in this manner. but be assured …. Mufulira Wanderers will be a new team. and who knows what to expect.
Four teams will be joining the Super league in 2017 and all eyes will be on which team manages to stay afloat. But among them an experienced campaigner of top flight football and knows what to expect to survive. It’s just a question of how mentally strong they are, that’s Konkola Blades.
Three of the four teams will start fighting relegation from the start and as things are happening am having real confidence that Buildicon will be the best of the four because they really are concentrating so much on what to do when the season starts. So that’s my pick of the four teams.
Konkola Blades with good organisation and convincing the sponsors for a good package, they may survive but it will be close.
Real Nakonde upon securing the promotion ticket I was convinced that they would survive the bruising super league challenge but the turn of events in 2017 has just plunged them in dangerous waters and even with a number of new signings, Real Nakonde has a lot to learn on how to prepare and get ready for the season. I strongly feel their technical bench will be their own undoing of going down.
This also applies to City of Lusaka with the delay in preparing for the season. It puts City ya Moto as one of the candidates for going down to the zones .
MY PREDICTION END TO THE SEASON IN 2017
1. ZESCO
2. Nkana
3. Power Dynamos
4. ZANACO
5. Buildcon
6. Lusaka Dynamos
7. Red Arrows
8. Green Buffaloes
9. NAPSA
10. Kabwe Warriors
11. Forest Rangers
12. Nkwazi
13. Green Eagles
14. Mufulira Wanderers
15. Nchanga Rangers
16. Lumwana Radiants
17. Real Nakonde
18. Nakambala Leopards
19. Konkola Blades
20. City of Lusaka
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Let the count down begin!!!
