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Zambia soccer chief mourns U-23 national team trainer

Xinhua, February 16, 2016 Adjust font size:

Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) president Kalusha Bwalya said Tuesday he learnt of the death of the head coach of the U-23 national team coach with sadness and shock.

Coach Fighton Simukonda died in the early hours of Monday at 58 after battling with diabetes.

Bwalya said the late coach will be remembered for his honest and love in grooming upcoming players.

"Big Fighton Simukonda was my team mate in the KK Eleven (Zambia national soccer team). He was as honest as they come. Disciplined, sincere and dedicated to football. A humble man as a player and coach. Always wanted the best for his team. He gave a lot of chances to especially young players because it was his nature to be patient," Kalusha said in a statement posted on the soccer governing body's official website.

The soccer chief said the football fraternity will greatly miss the services rendered by the late coach, adding that his name will forever be engraved in the country' s Football Hall of Fame.

The 58-year-old trainer, who was also national soccer team assistant coach as well as coach of premier league side Nchanga Rangers, has been in an out of hospital since December last year.

He played for the national soccer team between 1983 and 1988 while his coaching career started in 1992.

He will be remembered in Zambia as being the first coach to lead a local club to the CAF Champions League group stage in 2009 as coach of premier league side Zesco United.

He was named Coach of the Year in 2005, 2009 and 2010. Endit