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 | |  Saturday, 2 March, 2002, 16:09 GMT Zambian exodus  The national team of Zambia Two Zambian players have left Zambia for trials with Belgian first division side Gent. Internationals Elija Tana and Ian Bakala were spotted at the Nations Cup where Zambia suffered a first round elimination. Tana, a defender with local premier side Nchanga Rangers, told BBC Sport Online he would do his best to impress the Belgians. "I am going to work hard because football is my life" said Tana. Tana, further pledged his patriotism for the country if he is signed on by Gent.
The 26-year-old noted that Zambia's soccer can only get back on its feet if players break into the European leagues. "That is what our friends in West Africa are doing, and they help each other" he said. Zambians must go to Europe This is the second time Tana will be attending professional trials after having failed to clinch a contract with Mexican side Tolluca last year. Bakala, a midfielder, will be making a second return to Belgium following his stint in 1999 with Ekeren. The 22-year-old was a member of both the under-20 and full national team and played at the Cup of Nations in 1999.
Gent have also invited striker Harry Milanzi who is expected to leave the country anytime. Milanzi who until recently was based in Mexico, said he had always wanted to play in Europe. The players' views were supported by former Zambia and Anderlecht star midfielder Charles Musonda who now coaches the Gent reserve side. He said the increased number of players getting professional deals will help in uplifting soccer standards in Zambia. Trials in China Meanwhile, four other Zambian players are in China for trials. The players, Misheck Lungu (midfielder), January Zyambo and Cosmas Banda (strikers) and defender Jones Mwewa are all at FC Jiangsu Shuntian. Among the four, only Zyambo was not in Mali for the Africam Cup of Nations. Two other international strikers Philimon Chipeta and Chaswe Nsofwa are also earmarked for Chinese trials. However, they have been called to stop the movement of Zambian players to China because football is not considered competitive enough there. | | See also:  Other top Africa stories:  Links to more Africa stories are at the foot of the page. | |||
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