‘Zesco will no longer be a Zambian league punching bag’

George Lwandamina says he has returned to reinstate Zesco United’s status as Zambia’s most successful CAF Interclub team, which is now regarded as the most beatable club.

Lwandamina returns to Zesco on a three-year deal.

Under Lwandamina, Zesco lost to Mamelodi Sundowns in the 2016 CAF Champions League semifinals and SuperSport United in the 2017 CAF Confederation Cup quarterfinals.

But the nine-time Zambian champions, with six group stage appearances in the CAF Inter-club competitions, have stuttered over the last two seasons.

Zesco failed to defend their Zambian title last season when they lost it to Red Arrows and have just made a second successive preliminary stage exit from Africa.

The 2022/2023 season has been turbulent for Zesco when they fired the man who succeeded Lwandamina in 2021 Mumamba Numba on October 16, following their CAF Confederation Cup early exit.

In domestic competition, Zesco is currently 11th with five wins and draws and six defeats on 20 points.

“I know there have been a lot of changes in the team since I left, but maybe where we just missed it is to inculcate responsibilities and to know and understand that Zesco is the most feared team,” Lwandamina said.

Zesco has lost four, and one of their last five league games and just last Saturday lost 1-0 away to fellow struggling giants and record 13-time Zambian champions Nkana sit below them at number 13 on 19 points.

“Now you have taken Zesco where everyone is saying ‘we can beat them,’ and that is the new change that we need to make; then people will play for the team,” Lwandamina added.

“The players have to play for the team, and we have to do it for the old tag Zesco is known for.”

Despite his dismissal in 2020 after he failed to retain the Zambian title, Lwandamina remains Zesco’s most successful coach.

In his first tenure, Lwandamina won the 2014 and 2015 league titles and in his second appointment won the 2018 and 2019 crowns.

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