There is a thing called dying a little, if not much for your nation–for any team to be triumphant in a tournament.
Hence, remuneration should not come as a favor, but a must, as thanksgiving as motivation for players to put inn their all in future national team matches.
Of course, FIFA does not encourage giving allowances to underage players. But it’s not like federations will be sanctioned for doing so.
Zambia staged a historical U-20 Africa Cup of the Nations coupled by the Junior Chipolopolo’s triumph. This has revived the hopes lost when Zambian football underwent through a tumour after winning the 2012 Africa Cup of the Nations in Gabon.
The head of state, his Excellency President Edger Chagwa Lungu, only missed one Junior Chipolopolo game–the second tie, against Mali. Those who were always at National Heroes Stadium, can attest that, there was pure joy on the face of the President whenever his team scored.
It seemed as if pigs should fly first, for FAZ President, Andrew Kamanga and his predecessor, Kalusha Bwalya to smoke a piece pipe. However, the impossible happened at Radson Blue hostel in Lusaka, during the U-20 AFCON.
Indeed, the lads are entitled to our gratitude in sort of remuneration. If not money, then pieces of lands.
Government should foot remuneration of the Junior Chipolopolo
Must we wait for CAF to wire us the title winning cash, 250 000 USD?
Ghana are the only African country to win the U-20 FIFA World Cup, when the played hosts in 2009. Speaking to a Ghanaian top Journalist, famously known as Saddick Obama Sports; who says, the government pays bonuses and rewards to players who win underage tournaments.
“In Ghana, the government pays. Government pays all their bonuses and promised rewards [In 2009]”, said Saddick.
Amajita were semifinalists in the 2017 edition of the U-20 AFCON and they take 100 000 USD from CAF to their bank accounts.
Dominic Chimhavi is SAFA Communications and Media related manager. He says, Amajita received a standard fee that was agreed by the federation and their sponsors, Burg King.
“Yes they got a standard fee which was agreed by the Association and sponsors Burger King” said Chimhavi.
The flying eagles of Nigeria, are the record holders of the U-20 AFCON. Kayode Tijan, a Nigerian seasoned Journalist says “Yes Nigeria have won the CAF U-20 on many occasions. But when it comes to FIFA, the world soccer ruling body does not care about what African FA’s give your youth teams in terms of cash or remunerations”.
Most times the FA give Nigerian Teams money and gifts for winning some times they don’t but even the times they don’t the players still go home with allowance at the tournaments”.
He added, “Even for the Under 17 Teams they too get paid allowances and get gifts when they win the FIFA Under 17 Afcon and World Cups. Nigeria won the first ever FIFA Under 16 World cup and the government promised scholarships and lits but they never got it till two years ago when they got national honours and two million naira each”.
The Football Association of Zambia signed a sponsorship contract with the First National Bank, FNB to sponsor their U-20 team. But we can’t rush into that as the sponsorship deal was penned after the Africa Cup of Nations.
The assertion is, cut FAZ some slack, government must sort out the Junior Chipolopolo. Our worst fears is to dismantle this prosperous team as much as it is possible to do so.
