The debate over Nora Häuptle’s future as Copper Queens head coach has understandably intensified following Zambia’s elimination from the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON). For many, the verdict is simple: the Swiss coach has failed to deliver on the expectations that came with her appointment and must take responsibility for the team’s performances, tactical decisions and results.
That argument is valid. Football is a results business, and as the person entrusted with leading the national team, Häuptle must answer for what happens on the pitch. However, while the spotlight remains firmly on the coach, there is a bigger issue Zambia’s football must confront — tactical indiscipline and weaknesses in player development. A coach can spend hours preparing a tactical plan, explaining roles and demanding specific movements, but the biggest test comes when players step onto the pitch. The ability to understand situations, make the right decisions and execute instructions under pressure is what separates good teams from great ones.
The Problem Goes Beyond Häuptle
The problems witnessed from the Copper Queens did not begin with Häuptle. They are symptoms of a deeper challenge that has affected Zambian football for years, across both the men’s and women’s game.
Too often, whenever results do not go our way, the immediate solution is to change the coach. Yet the same problems continue to appear regardless of who is on the touchline.
This is not about blaming the players. The bigger question is: where are our players learning the tactical fundamentals of the game?
The answer takes us back to grassroots football.
If young players are not introduced to tactical concepts from an early age — positioning, decision-making, spatial awareness, game management and adapting to different situations — we will continue producing talented footballers who struggle to translate individual ability into structured team performances.
Häuptle Still Has to Take Responsibility
That said, Häuptle cannot escape criticism.
She is the head coach and has had time to implement her ideas, select her players and build a team capable of competing at the highest level.
The Copper Queens have shown that they possess quality. This is a generation that has competed at the Olympic Games and FIFA Women’s World Cup, while regularly facing some of the strongest teams on the continent.
The question is why that quality has not consistently translated into performances when it matters most.
Häuptle must answer that question.
Changing the Coach Alone Won’t Solve It
Whoever takes over from Häuptle, if FAZ decides to make a change, will face many of the same challenges unless there is a deliberate effort to improve player development at the foundation level.
A new coach can introduce a different tactical system, but that system still depends on players being able to understand, interpret and execute instructions.
This is where Zambia needs to look beyond the senior national team.
Youth coaches, academies and clubs must place greater emphasis on football intelligence, tactical awareness and decision-making, alongside technical and physical development.
Zambia Must Fix Both Ends of the Equation
As the country debates Häuptle’s future, we must avoid searching for a single person to blame.
The coach is part of the equation, but so is the system that produces the players.
The solution therefore lies in fixing both: demanding better from the national-team coach while also rebuilding the grassroots structures that shape our footballers.
If we fail to address the problem at its source, we will continue having the same conversation every few years — changing coaches, changing tactics, but facing the same failures.
Conclusion
The Copper Queens’ struggles are not simply a coaching problem. They are a reflection of a wider football culture that Zambia must urgently address.
Häuptle must be held accountable for her decisions and results, but replacing her should not be viewed as the complete solution.
If Zambia wants its national teams to consistently compete with Africa’s best, tactical education and player development must begin long before a footballer puts on the Copper Queens or Chipolopolo shirt.
The future of Zambian football will not be fixed from the touchline alone. It must be built from the grassroots up.
