I thought they would boo us when we were down- Mwepu

Zambian national team captain Enock ‘Computer’ Mwepu was happy with the support the fans gave the team even when they were trailing.

The Brighton and Hove Albion midfielder told the ZamFoot Crew in a post-match interview that he thought the fans would maybe boo the teams when they conceded a goal.

The Computer went on to promise the fans that he and his teammates will always leave everything on the pitch for the fans because they know how much they love football.

“We don’t want to promise but we are going to try. We are trying our best to leave everything on the pitch. You might see me limping on the pitch, Even in England have not been at my best fitness am in and out. But am trying my best to help the group with an injury but that’s not an excuse,” he said.

“We want to tell the fans that we will try our best to give everything to them. we have seen the support they have given us, they boosted us, I thought they would boo us when we were a goal down but their energy gave us the motivation to move forward I think that’s why we even got a goal at the end. We don’t care how we played if it was not good what was important was to get three points and that’s what we did. We try and give everything to them because we know how much they love football,” he added.

Mwepu described the match against the Coelacanths as tricky but was happy to have met the day’s target of collecting maximum points.

The former Kafue Celtic midfielder reiterated his earlier remarks that the team is full of talent and just needs to work on a few areas.

“I think as you all saw it was a tough match, Very tricky. Comoros was a strong side as well. A win was very important for us and that was our aim for today, it’s good that we picked up maximum points and we now look forward to Lesotho,” Mwepu said.

“I think it’s a big relief for us, We prepared adequately for this game. It is always difficult coming from a loss to winning a game. We as players are trying to be calm, it’s a young group but the talent is there and you can see the skills.”

“We created a lot of chances, we just have to work on the finishing and that will have to give more opportunities in the game. Maybe if we score and lead we can be calm and play, that’s something we have to learn as a group. We believe in this coach he is trying to push us and give us everything we need. I think as a group we have everything we need to qualify to Ivory Coast next year,” he added.

Mwepu also challenged his fellow players to work hard and maintain their consistency at the club level to make the coach’s work easier.

Mwepu believes more practice in training will help the team to execute their game plan on match days.

“Like the coach has said we are trying hard and practicing. We did not have a structure to build on. It’s more about practicing more in training, believing, and trusting each other in training so that we can do that in the game. Playing the players in different roles, this is modern football of course. These are things we need to do more in training so that we can execute on match days. I think the coach, myself, and the group are heading in the right way,” he said.

“Just to add on, Football is not easy it’s all about the structure that we have missed as Zambia. Ever since we won the AFCON (2012) that’s when everything collapsed, We trying to build with this new group, It’s not about the coach it’s about the players both locally and abroad, Are we okay with the players? And their performance both locally and abroad Do we have wingbacks who are impressive and can play who we can pick? If we look around who can we say can play left wing-back or right wing-back? It’s not the job of the coach it’s about us as players are we doing enough at club level wherever we are so that the coach can pick us, are we fit, ready, and brave enough to step up when given the opportunity consistent. If that happens we will see good players playing in their positions.”

Mwepu seemed to have a heated argument with fellow midfielder Emmanuel Banda on the pitch and when asked about the incident the skipper said it was just miscommunication and they had talked about it and everything was fine.

“That was just a miscommunication, the blood pressure is high, you trying to organize and something happens, you miscommunicate otherwise we are a United team. We have talked about it and everything is clear.”

Mwepu leveled matters before Klings Kangwa’s beauty of a free-kick could seal the Copper Bullets’ first win in the Ivory Coast 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.