THROWBACK: Austine Iheanacho- The biggest scam in Zambian Football
The Injured Nigerian player never even trained a single day at Sunset Stadium despite getting paid a huge sign on fee and getting a one year deal.
Ali Dia pulled off one of the biggest scams in football by persuading Graeme Souness to let him play in the Premier League for Southampton by claiming to be the cousin of George Weah, the legendary former AC Milan player who won the Ballon d’Or in 1995.
Somewhere at Sunset Stadium Nigerian striker Austine Chingozie Iheanacho was unveiled on September 23, 2022 to boost the team’s attack.
However 253 days later ( 69.32% of a common year) the season came to an end but the Nigerian striker had not kicked a ball in fact he did not even train with the team for even a single session.
The ZamFoot Crew a year ago revealed that the club had parted company with Iheanacho after reaching a mutual agreement that included a settlement for the player.
A year later and the biggest scam in Zambian Football since independence is still unbelievable for anyone who has heard of it.
WHAT HAPPENED?
Iheanacho joined Zanaco on 23rd September 2022 as a free agent and penned a one year deal with the Bankers.
The club announced his acquisition saying he joined the club to boost the attack and replace a player who had left the club.
Moses Phiri left the Bankers in June, 2022 to join Simba SC.
In the 2021/2022 MTN Super League season, Phiri, the player Iheanacho was supposed to replace, scored 14 goals as the number two top scorer behind Ricky Banda who netted 16-goals.
Phiri won the 2020/21 FAZ Super Division golden boot with 17 goals helping Zanaco to qualify for Continental football.
“We are pleased to announce the signing of Nigerian striker Austine Chigozie Iheanacho. Iheanacho is joining us on a one year deal as a free agent from Ahli Khartoum SC of Sudan. The Nigerian striker arrives to boost our attack following recent departures in that department. Iheanancho has spent most of his football career in Sudan where he played for Ayl Arab, Shebab Nasri,Ahli Merowe and Hilal Fasher,” read a statement from Zanaco.
SIGNED WITH A KNEE INJURY
The striker was signed while carrying a serious knee injury and apparently in Zanaco’s wisdom, they did not do a medical before handing him a contract.
Whether it was by design or just an oversight on their behalf, the ‘mistake’ was a costly one as they were stuck with a player they couldn’t use and couldn’t get rid of him.
“He did not even train with the team once because of how serious his knee injury was,” a source at Sunset Stadium told the ZamFoot Crew.
The ZamFoot Crew understands that the acquisition of Iheanacho was done in a haste which raises more questions as to why the club was in such a hurry.
Earlier another source at Sunset Stadium told the ZamFoot Crew that the top brass was not happy with the way the deal was done and we’re requesting answers.
“The people from the mother company (Zanaco Bank) are not happy with how the transfer was handled,” a source at sunset stadium told the ZamFoot Crew in February 2023.
“They have questioned how the player found himself at the club while carrying an injury. Remember there was also Jacques Bitumba Bakulu who joined the club back in 2021 from Moroccan second tier Olympique Club de Khouribga on a 2-year deal but was only seen on the bench once against Prison Leopards,” the source added.
According to the Zanaco website Iheanacho previously played for Ahli Khartoum SC of Sudan, Ayl Arab, Shebab Nasri,Ahli Merowe and Hilal Fasher.
The new MTN Super League season is expected to kick off on August 17th with the Black Label Charity Shield, the curtain raiser for the Zambian League season set to take place on 10th August.