A football analyst has expressed confidence in the 22 member squad selected by Copper Queens Coach Bruce Mwape for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games .
In an interview, Winford Kashiya says the team that has been selected is capable to perform well.
He justified the decision to exclude Margret Belemu due to her lack of form despite undergoing military training.
“Belemu has been away for a long time,military training is different from football which requires one to be fast, tactical and sharp thinking, which hasn’t been the case for Belemu,” Kashiya said.
Kashiya also addressed criticism regarding Ochumba Oseke, who attended military training but was included in the squad.
He explained that Oseke has been performing exceptionally well for her club since returning from training.
The analyst emphasized that military training differs from football, which requires players to maintain their form through regular practice.
He highlighted Esther Siamfuko as one of the players capable of stepping up to the occasion after Belemu was left out of the squad.
The copper queens are set to leave Zambia on July 8,2024 and are expected to play New Zealand on July 13 in an international friendly as they prepare to open their Olympic account on July 25 against the United States of America.