Southern African players lack character – Katongo

A goalscoring machine in his playing days, former Zambia and Jomo Cosmos striker Chris Katongo has revealed that goalscoring is not just a South African problem, but the whole Southern African region.

Katongo, who also played his football in Denmark and Germany among other countries where he had stints overseas believes lack of character from the current generation of players is what causes countries in the Southern region of the continent to even make an impact at the world, hence they are always dominated by West African countries.

“It’s a Southern African thing, we lack players who have big hearts, players like Kalusha Bwalya. This is not only a South African problem, so don’t specify South Africa only. It’s a Southern African problem that is why the West African nations dominate us because they show character,” said Katongo, who was named the PSL top goal-scorer in the 2006/2007 season.

“I have shown the character that is why I won the BBC African Player of the Year (2012), Kalusha showed the character that is why he won the African Player of the Year (1988). Shaun Bartlett showed character, that is why he played in one of the best leagues in the world. So, there is no character in Southern African players.”

Katongo led Zambia to the Africa Cup of Nations triumph in 2012 where he was voted player of the tournament co-hosted by Gabon and Equatorial Guinea.

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