CLIFFORD MULENGA DEFENDS YOUTH DEVELOPMENT RECORD: “I AM SIMPLY STATING THE FACTS”
Former Zambia international and ex-FAZ youth football development official Clifford Mulenga has defended his record in youth football, insisting his views are based on experience and a desire to create better pathways for young Zambian players.
Mulenga says he is not trying to defend himself against criticism but wants to provide context surrounding some of the decisions made during his time working within FAZ’s youth development structures.
“When I speak about youth football development, I speak from experience as a player who came through the youth system, as a former Zambia international, as someone who benefited from international youth exposure myself, and as the person who was entrusted with leading youth football development at FAZ,” Mulenga said.
One of the issues he addressed was the development strategy surrounding the Zambia U-17 team that qualified for the 2025 FIFA U-17 World Cup.
According to Mulenga, Zambia faced a situation where the Region 5 Games in Namibia and the Gothia Cup were taking place around the same period.
His proposal was to utilise both competitions rather than sacrifice one.
“The players who had done the work and helped Zambia qualify for the World Cup could form the core of the Gothia Cup squad. The other players could go to the Region 5 Games, giving the technical team an opportunity to assess new players and giving those players international exposure,” he explained.
Mulenga believes the Gothia Cup offered a valuable international development platform because of the number of young players, clubs, scouts, academies and agents involved in the competition.
He also says his argument was informed by personal experience, having benefited from the same pathway during his playing career.
“I am myself a product and success story of the Gothia Cup pathway,” he said.
“I understand personally what international exposure at that age can do for a young player’s confidence, development and career. It can open doors that a purely regional competition may not necessarily open.”
Mulenga stressed that his position was not intended to undermine the Region 5 Games.
“The Region 5 Games have their place and I have nothing against them. But they are not a CAF or FIFA competition. The Gothia Cup provides a completely different level of international exposure and, importantly, a potential career pathway.”
His central argument, he says, was simple: Zambia did not necessarily have to choose between the two opportunities.
“Why should Zambia choose between two opportunities when we could use both to develop more players?”
Mulenga has also pointed to Zambia’s historic qualification for the 2025 FIFA U-17 World Cup as part of the broader record of the youth structures during his tenure.
“The U17 boys qualified for the FIFA U-17 World Cup for the first time in Zambia’s history. That achievement cannot be separated from the work that was being done within the youth development structures at the time,” he said.
However, Mulenga was careful not to claim sole responsibility for the achievement, stressing that football is a collective effort.
He also noted that he left his position in August 2025 and that the Zambia U-17 team subsequently failed to qualify for the AFCON and FIFA U-17 World Cup 2026.
“I am not saying this to claim that every success was mine or every failure afterwards belongs to someone else. Football is a collective effort, and I understand that very well,” he said.
Mulenga believes criticism of his record should be based on the complete picture rather than isolated references to alleged past failures.
“If someone wants to question my record in youth development, that is perfectly legitimate. But then let us have an honest conversation about the results, the structures, the ideas, the decisions and the outcomes,” he said.
The former international also acknowledged that not every decision made during his tenure was perfect.
“I am also not claiming that I got everything right. Nobody in football does,” he said.
However, he maintains that his ideas were driven by one objective — creating more opportunities for young Zambian footballers.
“My criticism today is not personal. It is about continuity, structures, pathways and the long-term development of the Zambian player.”
Mulenga believes football administrators and coaches may change, but the development of players must remain the priority.
“Positions come and go. Administrations come and go. The player only gets one career.”
“That is why I will continue to speak about what I believe is best for the Zambian footballer,” he added.
“I am not defending myself. I am simply stating the truth as I experienced it and as the record reflects.”
