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Freddie Mwila: Difference between revisions
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Mwila returned to Zambia at the end of the season in October 1967, and returned to Atlanta for the 1968 season and won the league. He also played against several European sides, among them, Manchester City and Aston Villa. On 27 May 1968 the 21-year-old Mwila scored the winning goal in a stunning 3–2 upset of the English champions City. He scored twice on the night, before a crowd of 23,141, the largest ever to witness a soccer game in Atlanta Stadium. | Mwila returned to Zambia at the end of the season in October 1967, and returned to Atlanta for the 1968 season and won the league. He also played against several European sides, among them, Manchester City and Aston Villa. On 27 May 1968 the 21-year-old Mwila scored the winning goal in a stunning 3–2 upset of the English champions City. He scored twice on the night, before a crowd of 23,141, the largest ever to witness a soccer game in Atlanta Stadium. | ||
It sounded like sour grapes when City coach | It sounded like sour grapes when City coach Malcolm Allison described Chief's play as worse than 'fourth division standard,' and that Mwila was offside. "They couldn't play in the fourth division in England," he said. "The kid who kicked the last goal was offside by at least four yards. The officials just didn't catch it. There's nothing you can do about it.<ref>""Chiefs stun Manchester" North American Soccer League-Atlanta Chiefs Friendlies http://www.nasljerseys.com/Friendlies/Teams/Chiefs%20Friendlies.htm (date accessed 23 November 2012)</ref> | ||
Three weeks later, Chiefs handed City their second straight whipping before an even bigger crowd of 25,856 and Mwila was on target again but this time from the penalty spot in a 2–1 win and Motaung grabbed the other as if to prove that Chiefs were good enough to play against the best and win.<ref>"Manchester City beaten" North American Soccer League-Atlanta Chiefs Friendlies http://www.nasljerseys.com/Friendlies/Teams/Chiefs%20Friendlies.htm (date accessed 23 November 2012)</ref> The Zambians also played in a friendly match played against Brazilian side Santos FC which featured Pelé. | Three weeks later, Chiefs handed City their second straight whipping before an even bigger crowd of 25,856 and Mwila was on target again but this time from the penalty spot in a 2–1 win and Motaung grabbed the other as if to prove that Chiefs were good enough to play against the best and win.<ref>"Manchester City beaten" North American Soccer League-Atlanta Chiefs Friendlies http://www.nasljerseys.com/Friendlies/Teams/Chiefs%20Friendlies.htm (date accessed 23 November 2012)</ref> The Zambians also played in a friendly match played against Brazilian side Santos FC which featured Pelé. | ||
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[[File:Freddie Mwila with Pele in August 1968.jpg|thumb|left|Freddie Mwila with Pelé in August 1968]] | [[File:Freddie Mwila with Pele in August 1968.jpg|thumb|left|Freddie Mwila with Pelé in August 1968]] | ||
It was during such encounters that | It was during such encounters that Tommy Docherty, then Manager of English Division II side Aston Villa saw the two Zambians in action and signed them on. They arrived in Birmingham in August 1969 and signed for Villa for two years. There, they met Brian Tiler who would later coach the Zambian national team. Kapengwe made three football league appearances and Mwila featured only once,<ref>[http://www.neilbrown.newcastlefans.com/villa/villa.html Neil Brown's Aston Villa Player Registry]</ref> becoming the second and third black players to play for Villa and the first Zambians to play in England. Unfortunately, results were not very good and Villa were relegated to the third division. Docherty left the team and the duo decided to come back home after 9 months with Villa. | ||
The duo had attended a two-week coaching course in | The duo had attended a two-week coaching course in Lilleshall coaching school in 1969. Upon their return, Mwila was appointed Zambian player-coach for the 3 match series against French club Racing Club de Strasbourg in June 1970 for the Peter Stuyvesant trophy, making him the youngest coach to take charge of the Zambian national team eight days before his 24th birthday, albeit in matches which were not full internationals. | ||
Both Mwila and team manager Donald Musumali warned would-be interferers that they were 'intimidation-proof' and would not be pushed around as they knew their responsibilities very well.<ref>Liwena, Ridgeway "Every man had a job, says Mwila" ''Times of Zambia'', 26 June 1970, p.14</ref> After the first game which ended in a 2–2 draw at Dag Hammarskjoeld Stadium, Mwila launched a scathing attack on football administrators charging that some of the 'national team selectors would make better spectators than football administrators.' He was particularly incensed by one [[Football Association of Zambia]] (FAZ) official who entered the dressing room at half-time and told Boniface Simutowe he looked 'very excited' during the first half, and also suggested to Mwila and Musumali that certain players should be replaced.<ref name=blasts>Mulenga, Alfred. "Mwila blasts selectors," ''Times of Zambia'', 30 June 1970 p.21</ref> | Both Mwila and team manager Donald Musumali warned would-be interferers that they were 'intimidation-proof' and would not be pushed around as they knew their responsibilities very well.<ref>Liwena, Ridgeway "Every man had a job, says Mwila" ''Times of Zambia'', 26 June 1970, p.14</ref> After the first game which ended in a 2–2 draw at Dag Hammarskjoeld Stadium, Mwila launched a scathing attack on football administrators charging that some of the 'national team selectors would make better spectators than football administrators.' He was particularly incensed by one [[Football Association of Zambia]] (FAZ) official who entered the dressing room at half-time and told Boniface Simutowe he looked 'very excited' during the first half, and also suggested to Mwila and Musumali that certain players should be replaced.<ref name=blasts>Mulenga, Alfred. "Mwila blasts selectors," ''Times of Zambia'', 30 June 1970 p.21</ref> | ||
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Unsurprisingly, he was absent from the team for the remainder of the season both as player and coach. In 1971, Mwila returned to Atlanta in March 1971 to complete the two-year contract he had signed in 1968, fearing that if he objected, the club would take action against him since he was still regarded as their player. When he returned home in September, he charged that Chiefs had breached the terms of his contract by not paying him more than he was getting previously. He played in 22 games and scored 5 goals and when the season ended in August, he got his clearance together with Motaung.<ref>Kamphodza, Sam "I would have sued Atlanta Chiefs, says angry Mwila" ''Times of Zambia'', 23 September 1971 p.12</ref> | Unsurprisingly, he was absent from the team for the remainder of the season both as player and coach. In 1971, Mwila returned to Atlanta in March 1971 to complete the two-year contract he had signed in 1968, fearing that if he objected, the club would take action against him since he was still regarded as their player. When he returned home in September, he charged that Chiefs had breached the terms of his contract by not paying him more than he was getting previously. He played in 22 games and scored 5 goals and when the season ended in August, he got his clearance together with Motaung.<ref>Kamphodza, Sam "I would have sued Atlanta Chiefs, says angry Mwila" ''Times of Zambia'', 23 September 1971 p.12</ref> | ||
Mwila's association with Chiefs continued when he left Rhokana to join them yet again in May 1973. The team had changed its name to the | Mwila's association with Chiefs continued when he left Rhokana to join them yet again in May 1973. The team had changed its name to the Atlanta Appollos after a change of ownership. Apart from playing in Atlanta, he was supposed to go to England for a full-time coaching course but he achieved neither ambition. He returned home with Kapengwe in August who was also frustrated. The outspoken Mwila accused the FAZ of standing in his way by not giving him an international clearance to rejoin Chiefs. During their time in Atlanta, neither of them played a single match but they spent their time coaching young American footballers in colleges. | ||
Mwila stated that he was happy to be back home but was disappointed with the FAZ. He was also unhappy with comments attributed to FAZ Secretary General Ernest Mate that the players did not achieve anything from their overseas trips for each time they came back to Zambia they failed lamentably to cope with the standard of football. The duo reminded Mate that as the first Zambians to play overseas, they had helped to put the country on the map soccer-wise.<ref>Mwambazi, James "Now disappointed Mwila returns from US" ''Times of Zambia'', 27 August 1973 p.12</ref> | Mwila stated that he was happy to be back home but was disappointed with the FAZ. He was also unhappy with comments attributed to FAZ Secretary General Ernest Mate that the players did not achieve anything from their overseas trips for each time they came back to Zambia they failed lamentably to cope with the standard of football. The duo reminded Mate that as the first Zambians to play overseas, they had helped to put the country on the map soccer-wise.<ref>Mwambazi, James "Now disappointed Mwila returns from US" ''Times of Zambia'', 27 August 1973 p.12</ref> | ||
