By Augustine Mukoka
KAMANGA’S SHADOW IN KALABA’S NATIONAL TEAM ABSENCE: My National Team Recall Brought Politics
TP Mazembe legend Rainford Kalaba has revealed why he is no longer an option for Chipolopolo call-ups pointing the finger to FAZ president Andrew Kamanga.
Featuring on ZedPodCast, a YouTube talk show, Kalaba says he learned through former Chipolopolo coach Sven Vandenbroeck in 2018 that there was something wrong he had done that he was not aware of.
He said he has never retired from playing for the national team neither had he announced his retirement from active football.
The 2012 Africa Cup of Nations winner says he still had an active contract with the Congolese giants and was looking at remaining in the game for another two years or so before he could officially call it quits.
Regarding featuring for Chipolopolo, Kalaba says, “I can’t come to the national team when I have not been called.
“They [FAZ] never call. The last time they called is the last game I played with Mozambique [in 2018]. My national team call up brought politics.
“Sven called me back and again it brought politics.
“I was very shocked after we lost in Mozambique; then he called me to his [hotel] room and asked me what’s wrong?
“I asked him, ‘what do you mean coach?’
“He said, ‘No, I have been told a lot of things about you but I haven’t seen anything that they told me. Do you have a problem with the current FAZ?’
“I said no, I don’t have any problem with him [President]. So it kept me… eh, that’s why they don’t call me.
“May be there are some things they hide to the Zambian people. They need to come out and say it.
“The FAZ Executive… they need to come out and clarify everything because they damaged my name to other coaches to say Kalaba is indisciplined.”
Although Kalaba does not expressly state Kamanga’s name on the show as the reason behind his national team call up ban, he indirectly confirms speculation that the FAZ leader has vowed never to have the midfielder in national colors again.