The Zambia football family has been thrown into a state of mourning, following the death of Olympic team coach, Fighton Simukonda.
Simukonda died on Monday morning at the Konkola Mine Hospital in Chililabombwe, after an unsuccessful battle with diabetes, incidentally on his 58th birthday.
One of the recognisable faces of Zambian football, his recent assignment was with the Zambian team at the U-23 Africa Cup of Nations in Senegal last December where the Chipolopolo exited at the group stage.
Revered in his native Zambia, he was the first coach to guide a local side to the group stage of the CAF Champions League – 2009 with Zesco United. He won three league titles, Zanaco (2005 & 2006) and Zesco United (2010), and was also named Zambia Coach of the Year on three occasions – 2005, 2009 & 2010.
He was also at the helm when the Chipolopolo won the 1998 edition of the regional COSAFA Cup.
A defender during his playing days, he belonged to the golden generation of Nkana that won five league titles in the 1980’s. He also captained the Zambian team at some point. Besides spells with Zambian sides Mimbula Diggers, KB Davies and Vitafoam United, he also had stints at South African sides, Jomo Cosmos and Blackpool during his playing career that lasted more than a decade.
