U-17 coach Chigowe appeals to Zifa

The football mother body have been battling a severe financial crisis which has dipped the association into bankruptcy.
Matters came to head when the Under-20 made history by becoming the first representative national football team to fail to travel and fulfill an international assignment.
The Under-17s are set to take on Mozambique and they could possibly find themselves in the same situation as the Under-20s and Chigowe has urged Zifa to prepare early.
“I was gutted when I learnt that the Young Warriors were not going to Angola and spiritually I am still down because I believe these boys could have travelled by road, much earlier, at a lower cost,” said Chigowe.
“I believe this is the formative stage of the national teams’ development and I am urging Zifa to stop running national teams like voluntary organisations.
“The Zambia Under-17 national team have been in camp for the past three weeks and I expected these youngsters to have utilised the school holiday and trained together.
“I heard US$500 000 was raised for the just-ended National Youth Games in Bindura where there was an Under-20 football tournament which should feed the national team but US$35 000 could not be availed for the end-product which makes the whole process a mockery.”
Chigowe said companies should come on board and support Zifa and the national teams.
The Under-17s are set to clash with Mozambique with the first leg scheduled to be staged here during the weekend of 8 and 9 September.
The team is expected to be in camp next week with 40 players having been called.