With all the negative press that Zambia national team captain Kabaso Chongo has been getting for the past few days, the player has come out to defend himself.
The situation with the TP Mazembe defender at the national team has reached a boiling point, with several reports claiming his complete indifference towards the team’s main cause.
On Saturday, the player got a whole new dig from the Chipolopolo coach Milutin ‘Micho’ Sredojevic that confirmed Chongo will not be available for the Sunday’s friendly match against South Africa due to technical issues.
Chongo has now come out to defend himself by pleading innocent after the Zambian FA made public that he has been sent away from the Chipolopolo camp due to indiscipline issues.
“I would like to clear all rumours and stories going on that I have been sent away from camp over discipline issues,” reads a statement posted on his official Facebook page.
“I didn’t want to talk about this but it has come to my attention and I will clear everything up. I didn’t do anything wrong in camp as many of you expected and thought it was. I have no issues with the coach.
“On the day we were supposed to travel to South Africa, at the airport, the head coach just called me and told me that you are dropped from the national team and I was surprised and shocked. When I asked what I did no clear response was given to me. All I received was best wishes in my career.”
However, Chongo, who has been Chipolopolo captain since March 2019, noted that he respected the decision made by the Zambian football authorities and thanked everyone for the chance to play for the national team.
“I would like to thank the national team coach and entire technical team, I also want to thank the Football Association of Zambia for giving me the opportunity to represent the country and not forgetting my mates who I have worked with at the national team. Not forgetting the entire supporters who have stood with me. May God almighty be with you always,” he concluded.
Before Zambia travelled to Nairobi, the national team coach Micho stated he was not going to tolerate indiscipline by disclosing that Obrey Chirwa and Clatous Chama remain suspended following their failure to report to the national team camp.
“We are having a situation where I have always looked like a nice guy in front of you. I have always tried to be a generator of positive energy,” Micho was quoted by a section of Zambian media.
“However, I am living 20 years in Africa under the four pillars for my survival in African football.
“The first pillar is iron discipline, second pillar absolute order and organisation, fanatical work followed by science and fourth pillar is family atmosphere based on the good, in this case, Zambian tradition based on respecting and being respected.”
