adminfocuses on his business commitments.
The former central defender is a manager at Pan African Mine situated near Chinhoyi where he is very supportive of the mine’s football team.
“I am one person whom some people assume is dead but I want the people to know that I am still alive and healthy.
“It’s only that I have been keeping a low profile but I follow a lot of what is happening in our football,” said Lungu.
Lungu made an appearance at Chinhoyi University of Technology on Saturday where he was one of the special guests at the Zifa Mashonaland West 2011 Awards ceremony.
The awards saw Banket United and Blue Jets receiving shields and medals, which were sourced by Zifa president Cuthbert Dube, for winning the Division Two championships in the province.
The two teams will be playing in the Zifa Northern Region Division One this season and Zifa invited Lungu to grace the awards ceremony.
He made it to the ceremony together with his former Rio Tinto teammates Zacky Banda, Wonder Phiri, Raphael Phiri, Peter Phiri and former Zimbabwe Saints star Andrew “Mai Maria” Kadengu.
“I still believe that I have some unfinished business with local football.
“I feel that I owe the game something and should give back to Zimbabwe football before I retire from active duties, I hope to serve in some capacity,” said Lungu.
Lungu, whose son Elasto has been playing in South Africa for some time now, is hoping to either coach the senior national team or run for an administrative post.
“I follow football a lot and I think I am capable of coaching the national team. Or I may do administration.
“There shouldn’t be any big challenge for me to run Zifa House because I have been working with people for over 30 years,” said Lungu.
Lungu said Zifa are failing to turn around the fortunes of local football because of limited funding.
“When I look at the current situation, I find that it’s true that Zifa have no money to run their programmes and leagues.
“There is need to get corporate support and then we need to improve our talent identification strategies,” said Lungu.
The legendary player said a lot of focus is being put on scouting for talent from urban areas while there are raw gems untapped in remote parts of the country.
“I am a typical example of the talent that came from the bush.
“I was spotted in Shamrock Mine and then came to play in the Super League and I was a Soccer Star of the year.
“I even went on to captain the national team and this is why I think people should not focus mostly on talent in Harare and Bulawayo.
“There is raw talent out there,” said Lungu. Lungu was born near Mhangura in 1955 and did his secondary education in Karoi before he moved to Shamrock Mine.
During a Chamber of Mines tournament in 1975, he was spotted by the late Rio Tinto coach John Rugg and brought to Kadoma.
He was voted the outstanding player in Zimbabwe in 1983 and in 1986 he joined Cone Textiles after getting a job at Arcturus Mine.
After hanging hits boots, Lungu once coached Falcon “Bweraufe” Gold and guided them into Division One in 1993 before he shifted base to Alaska. Now a high-ranking human resources manager,
Lungu said he still has the energy and ability to help local football.
Online Reporter