Under-17 women’s national team demand K10,000 each

THE Under-17 women’s national team has implored Government to honour its pledge of paying K10,000 each to players before the squad travels to Costa Rica for the 2014 FIFA World Cup finals.
And Vice-President Guy Scott’s wife, Charlotte, has urged players to uphold high morals during the World Cup.
Team skipper Memory Phiri said they were promised to be paid before regrouping three weeks ago.
Phiri said this in Lusaka yesterday when Charlotte visited them during trainings at Olympic Youth Development Centre.
After the team’s qualification to the maiden World Cup appearance, Minister of Youth and Sport Chishimba Kambwili announced that Government will pay players K10,000 each.
Zambia beat South Africa 6-4 on aggregate to qualify for the World Cup finals.
“As a team, we are complaining because we have not yet been given the K10,000 which we were promised after qualifying for the World Cup. I remember very well that the minister [Kambwili] said he will put his head on the chopping board on this issue. We want that money to pay our school fees for this year,” Phiri said.
But Football Association of Zambia communications manager Erick Mwanza assured the players that they will get the money.
And team matron Charlotte said the squad’s conduct on and off the pitch will give a bad or good impression of Zambia.
She urged the team to showcase the best performance in Costa Rica.
“Let us continue working hard and also ensure that we uphold good morals. Let Zambia be known for the good talent that you have and not anything else,” Charlotte said.
She also said Government is on course to meet the budget for the United States of America camping.
The team is expected to leave for the United States of America next Monday.
Meanwhile, Ministry of Youth and Sport permanent secretary Agnes Musunga is confident the team will perform to expectation.
Meanwhile, the National Organisation for Women in Sport, Physical Activity and Recreation (NOWSPAR) has donated T-shirts and kit bags worth K5,000 to the junior Shepolopolo.
NOWSPAR executive director Matilda Mwaba said the gesture is meant to motivate the girls.
And DIANA MUTAKAFIMBO reports that national women soccer team coach Charles Bwale has drafted midfielder Delicious Mubanga into the squad preparing for next weekend’s African Women Championship first round return leg against Tanzania.
Bwale said in Lusaka yesterday that he does not intend to make any changes to the squad that beat Tanzania 2-1.
“We just want to assess Delicious. We called her to join her colleagues in training so that we can assess her. She is a good player,” he said.
Mubanga plies her trade for Green Buffaloes.