Mukuka, Mudenda impress Patrice

CHIPOLOPOLO coach Patrice Beaumelle has expressed happiness with the fitness levels of midfielders Kennedy Mudenda and Allan Mukuka.Beaumelle said he has been generally impressed with the players input despite them coming from off-season but singled out Mudenda and Mukuka as having impressed him with their levels of fitness.

He said in an interview at Olympic Youth Development Centre (OYDC) in Lusaka yesterday after the morning training session that while many players fitness levels were average, Mudenda and Mukuka were impressive.

The 24 players summoned to camp were yesterday morning subjected to physical tests where most of the lads managed to score average.

Beaumelle said the training sessions had enabled the coaching bench to see how other players could been used in the Chipolopolo and showered praise on the players for their commitment despite not having played active football for a while.

“We conducted fitness tests on the players this morning (yesterday) to check on their aerobic maximum speed though their performance was average. I am, however, happy with the performance of Mukuka and Mudenda,” he said.

Beamulle said he was impressed with the players’ concentration and the zeal to utilise the camping to gain fitness and skills that will move them a step further in their careers.

He said it was fulfilling to introduce his philosophy of work before the players are called for the Chipolopolo camp.

“I have new faces in the camp and not everyone is familiar with my philosophy of training. A weekly camping will make it easier for them to get used before getting into international camp,” he said.

Meanwhile, Beaumelle said he has a long list of players and that not everyone could  be called at once.

He maintained that players like Felix Katongo and others, who have not been called, were part of the big plan in the upcoming campaigns.