Tributes Pour In as Veteran Coach Fordson Kabole Dies at 77
Veteran coach, Fordson ‘Bobby Moore’ Kabole has died aged 77. Kabole one of the most tactically astute Zambian coaches was one of the assistant coaches to Ian Porterfield at AFCON 1994 where Zambia won silver.
Kabole, affectionately known as ‘Bobby Moore’ from his heyday after the England 1966 World Cup legend is a former Roan United, Rhokana and Zambia national team midfielder. At Rhokana United, the present day, Nkana FC, he was teammates with Freddie Mwila who went on to become one of Zambia’s most respected coaches.
Kabole has left an enduring legacy on Zambian soccer as a coach. Kabole won the Zambian super league title with ‘Brave’ Nchanga Rangers in 1998 and a famous double with the CEC glamour club, Power Dynamos in 2011 which included the league title and the Barclays Cup, which has been rechristened ABSA Cup.
Kabole was known for building his teams around high fitness and endurance coupled with refined brand of passing football with a devastating cutting edge in front of goal.
The Zambia Consolidated Copper Mines (ZCCM) Germany trained coach, Kabole started his coaching career with Mutondo Stars before moving to Chambishi Blackburn Rovers. Kabole would later move to Roan United between 1993 and 1995 where he transformed the Luanshya outfit from a mid-table side into title contenders. Roan United played good football embracing the “Stylish” Roan United tag. Kabole won the Mosi Cup with Roan United in 1995 beating Mighty Mufulira Wanderers 3 – nil at Arthur Davies Stadium.
After the Gabon Air Crash had wiped out the entire Zambia National Team in 1993, the reconstituted national team assembled by the Great Fred Mwila ‘King Fred,’ would go on to finish as runners-up at AFCON 1994. Kabole was part of the technical bench.
It was at Brave Nchanga Rangers where Kabole’s coaching prowess had really shone on the Zambia football scene. Kabole had an eye for identifying talent and he played a significant role in developing talented players like Andrew Sinkala and current Chipolopolo assistant coach, Moses Sichone. The two would go on to sign with top Bundesliga clubs.
Kabole also coached Masauso Tembo and Mwenya Chipepo.
Kabole joined Rangers in 1996 helping the club survive relegation before establishing one of the best teams ever seen in the Zambian League, the Brave Nchanga Rangers, class of 1998. This squad was a pure class act and had the likes of Evans ‘Nkalamo’ Chewe, Laughter Chilembi, Evans ‘Beaver’ Mwaba, Moses Sichone, Elijah Tana, Andrew Sinkala, Sileni Phiri, Masauso Tembo, Harry Milanzi, Ronald ‘Nyuma’ Mbambara to mention but a few. Kabole employed the 3-5-2 formation to devastating effect. Kabole won the Zambian league title with Rangers in 1998, their second title after the 1980 triumph.
As Nchanga Rangers Coach in 1998, Kabole would lead his team on a grueling marathon run from Luano Power Station to Gabitas Stadium every Monday afternoon. His training sessions were notorious for being demanding, with a focus on building endurance and strength. Every training session ended with a box-to-box run. His mantra was “Player after training afwile apema” roughly translated as a footballer must sweat after training. The 1998 Nchanga Rangers side was fit and unstoppable, bullying their way to the league championship with ease. The same year, 1998, Nchanga Rangers reached the semi-finals of the CAF Confederations Cup losing to Jeanne d’ Arc of Senegal in post-match penalties. 26 years on, Kabole holds the record as the last coach to lead a Zambian club to the semi-finals of the Confederations Cup following his remarkable feat with Rangers.
Kabole’s philosophy was simple yet effective, fitness came first. He believed that a player must be physically fit before anything else. But his approach didn’t stop there, he also emphasized on an eye-catching brand of passing of football.
Kabole went on to coach CAPS United of Zimbabwe in 2001. In 2005, Kabole returned to Nchanga Rangers before making the big switch to 1991 CAF Cup Winners Cup Champions, Power Dynamos in 2007.
Kabole’s second coming to Power in 2009 alongside Beston ‘Quicksilver’ Chambeshi on the technical bench was extra-ordinary. Power went on a 17 –game unbeaten run. If the 1998 Nchanga Rangers squad assembled by Kabole was a class act, the Power Dynamos class of 2011 under Kabole was phenomenal. Power Dynamos played the most refined brand of football ever seen in the Zambian league in recent times characterized by methodical passing football that was complimented by a squad endowed with great talent. It was at Power where Kabole epitomized the Zambian tika taka passing football outclassing the rest of the coaches in the Zambian Super League.
The Power Dynamos 2011 League and Barclays Cup winning squad had among them Joshua Titima, Govenda Simwala, Lawrence Chungu, Billy Shanda Imonda, Kamuzati Kabwe, Emmanuel Chimpinde ‘Yaonde,’ Simon ‘Diego’ Bwalya, Joseph ‘Adepoju” Sitali, Luka Lungu, Mukuka ‘Deco’ Mulenga, Lottie Phiri, Felix Nyaende, Alex Ng’onga and the dribbling wizard Kennedy Mudenda to mention but a few.
After leaving Power, following the unceremonious exit from the Champions League at the hands of DRC giants TP Mazembe in 2012, Kabole joined Don Bosco of DRC. Kabole guided the then Moise Katumbi sponsored Don Bosco to the CAF Confederations Cup in 2013 qualifying the Congolese club to continental football for the first ever time.
The Master Tactician who was a father figure among many of his players had endeared himself to many fans and players alike throughout his coaching career.
Football has lost. His legacy will live on through the countless lives he touched and the lifetime memories he has left on the beautiful game.
By Chinyemba Becks Kalama and 𝐊𝐚𝐦𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐢 𝐋𝐮𝐧𝐠𝐮
