338 ViewsThe adage, “wise people learn from other people’s mistake while fools wait for their own mistakes” is correctly attributed to many Zambian players, Lameck Banda inclusive. Social media reports alluding to the winger’s no show at Italian Seria A side US Leece’s pre-season training makes a sad and unfortunate reading. Banda who is currently […]

338 Views

Lameck Banda. Photo credit: Lameck Banda facebook page

The adage, “wise people learn from other people’s mistake while fools wait for their own mistakes” is correctly attributed to many Zambian players, Lameck Banda inclusive.

Social media reports alluding to the winger’s no show at Italian Seria A side US Leece’s pre-season training makes a sad and unfortunate reading.

Banda who is currently holed in the Zambian capital Lusaka, has refused to return to his Italian club, stating that the club coerced him into signing a contract, purposely written in Italian to stop him from signing for Saudi Arabian side Al Fateh.

The player has refused to return to the club claiming that he signed it under duress and doesn’t even understand the terms of his contract as it was prepared in Italian, a language he doesn’t understand. While his argument makes sense, his reaction doesn’t.

If indeed the player was coerced, or the contract he signed was prepared in a language he doesn’t understand, then he has legal reason to have it invalidated (Law of Contract). However, his absential is illegal as he still has a year pending to complete his current contract. It also casts a bad light on his reputation as his current value may diminish, in turn affecting future transfers. He is better off returning to the club and completing his obligations then seek redress to resolve the current contractual dispute he has with the club.

Lameck Banda, can learn past examples of Zambian players that were at their peak, some that were high prospects that behaved in similar manner that lost their careers.

– Elijah Litana, former national team defender, once a high earning professional in Saudi Arabia. He extended his holiday after playing for the Zambian National Team and ended up getting shot by late Castrol Chiluba at a nightclub. He ended up being a peasant farmer in rural Copperbelt.

– Emmanuel Mbola, a prospect buy for Arsenal FC who ended up signing for two clubs at the same time, he got suspended by FIFA. The furthest he reached in his career was Armenia. He is back in Zambian and never ever reached his full potential.

– Emmanuel Mayuka, former English premier league player for Southampton, whom due to indiscipline became a journeyman, ended up at Zamalek wheredrunkness got the best out of him. Even with a few assets left from his acquisitions during his playing days, he looks like a destitute in person.

– Fwayo Tembo, once invited to Real Madrid as a trainne when he was teenager, the former player who played in the Champions League for FC Basel, is present unrecognizable in person and a junkie who cant afford basic necessities. All this due to undiscipline.

Lameck Banda can learn and not take this path of indiscipline as it has destroyed players that were more talented than him. He can handle this dispute the legal way and maintain his professional soccer career. An extended absence from the club with which he is still contracted may lead to length legal battles which may severely affect his finances. It can also lead to suspensions by FIFA for failure to fulfill contractual obligations.

He doesn’t need to make mistakes of his own to learn, he can look back from the cited examples above and avoid making the similars ones.

Mbanga, Ilukui Irvine.
Fayetteville, Arkansas.
United States of America.
2026.