Joseph Nkole
MUKWIMA CHILALA writes
THERE is need to re-examine the system that has been put in place by the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) of paying referees as it was proving to be failing, Former Referees Association Of Zambia (RAZ) chairman Joseph NKole has said.
And NKole says there’s need to make sure that referees are adequately trained by those of who are qualified to train them as it was not good to condemn them much attention to education and training had not been done.
Nkole, a FAZ presidential aspiring candidate, said the immediate thing to do in addressing the plight of referees was to re-examine the system that was in place by looking at the disadvantages and advantages and make the necessary changes.
He noted that what was important was to ensure that as much as the super league coaches were being paid before a match, the others also needed to be paid as there was no need to have a two tier system of paying them.
He said that the system needed to be readjusted since it had not worked by looking at ways of empowering the clubs so that they were able to pay the match officials on their own.
‘’I would rather we re-examine the system that is there and why we changed from what it was to what it is and if it hasn’t worked which I feel it hasn’t we adjust because if we empower the clubs and they are able to, then there is need for the other leagues being paid as the super league because it would help us avoid the problems which I have seen along the route. But what I do not is what necessitated the change,’’ NKole said.
“I don’t know why the Association decided to go that route, whether they secured funding for the refs or they were making the money from their own resources but I think it has failed and is not helping the administration of referees.”
And NKole said there was need for referees to be retrained both physical and training as well as assessment of exams so as to make sure they were adequately trained to the level they should be.
