Kamanga Betraye Me – Fashion
ANDREW Kamanga, the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) president is a betrayer, says striker Fashion Sakala.
And Sakala a Zambian professional footballer who plays for Saudi Pro League club Al-Feyha says Chipolopolo coach Avram Grant is disrespectful.
In a live stream on his Facebook page, Sakala said Kamanga was not honest and could not be trusted.
Sakala who shed tears for being denied the chance to don the national team jersey by Kamanga and Grant, Sakala said he loved Zambia and would still support the country even in his casket.
“They [coach Grant and Kamanga) have separated me from my country where I wanted to contribute so much,’’ Sakala said.
He said Grant started sidelining him from the squad list due manufactured lies and accusations.
Sakala said Kamanga assured him that his spot in the national team was secured because he was the one selecting the team\
“When I had an issue with Coach Grant, Kamanga assured me that it is not going anywhere, he will handle the matter because he was the boss of football in the country” Sakala said.
He said Kamanga later started instructing the entire FAZ executive and other individuals to call him with instructions that should apologise to Grant.
“Everyone, the FAZ SG, the FAZ vice president, coach Moses Sichone started calling to say, Fashion we have heard the issues and please just apologise to the coach, ” Sarala said.
He wondered why Kamanga started sending people to talk to him who were not part of the issue, which he described as betrayal.
Sakala denied disrespecting Grant and accusing his fellow players that they were failing to score tap-ins
Meanwhile, Sakala said he was sidelined from the Chipolopolo squad after declining to sign with the agent that Grant was associated with.
Sarala has described Grant as disrespectful and because he never appreciated his contribution to the senior national team and the country at large.
“Even if Grant goes, Zambia will remain and will still be our country, I don’t need to sign for you to play for the national team,’’ Sakala said.
He said his omission from the Chipolopolo jersey was based purely his refusal to sign under the Israeli player agent Nir Karin.
Sakala said he would never apologise to Grant and Kamanga because he never wrong them and his fellow players.
Sakala expressed his frustration and disappointment with Kamanga’s actions and sentiments.
He emphasized that Kamanga’s actions were not honest or fair and insisted that he would not back down to apologise.
He questioned Kamanga’s integrity, stating that he had promised to fire Grant, and call him back to the national team.
Sakala also accused Kamanga and FAZ communications officer Sydney Mungala of selectively promoting the performances of other Chipolopolo players outside Africa, while ignoring his achievements.
“I questioned why my performances were not being shared on the FAZ page, while others were being highlighted. Some players, including Toaster Nsabata, were threatened during the 2023 AFCON that they would lose their position in the national team if they did not subscribe to the coach’s agent. I have never paid any money to anyone in exchange for a position in the national team and will not do so, Sakala said.
Featuring on Hot FM’s Hot Seat programme, Kamanga said Fashion Sakala needed to make peace before returning to the national team.
Kananga attributed Sakala’s long absence from the national team to a strained relationship between the player and some of his teammates.
He said efforts to resolve the longstanding impasse were still ongoing.
“The decision of the executive was to open an inquiry, because the information came out in the public domain. Unfortunately, those who were expected to participate in the inquiry did not, including Fashion himself,” Kamanga said.
He said the issues between Grant and Sakala were at a point where they were more or less resolved but there was another twist to it.
“Initially, we were convinced the matter was between the coach and the player. Unfortunately, I will share with you what I have seen, between the coach and the player, there was almost an agreement in terms of resolving the issue,’’ Kamanga said
