Moses Simwala
 |
|||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 16 July 1949 | ||
| Place of birth | Kitwe, Northern Rhodesia | ||
| Date of death | 29 September 1993 (aged 44) | ||
| Place of death | Kitwe, Zambia | ||
| Playing position | Midfielder | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1966–1980 | Rhokana United | ||
| National team | |||
| 1969–1980 | Zambia | 55 | (7) |
| Teams managed | |||
| 1980–1993 | Nkana F.C. | ||
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. |
|||
Moses Simwala (16 July 1949 – 19 September 1993) was a Zambian footballer and coach. Nicknamed 'the chairman,' Simwala featured for Zambia and Rhokana United (later Nkana Red Devils and now Nkana F.C.) as a right winger, the same club he would go on to coach for over 12 years and become the most successful coach in Zambian club football, winning the league title a record 8 times and 21 trophies in all. He was voted Zambian coach of the year in 1988 and 1989.
Simwala was born Moses Jimwala in Kitwe to Katontoka and Belita Jimwala who originated from the North-Western Province of Zambia and settled in the Copperbelt town of Kalulushi, after which the family name changed to Simwala. He was the third born of six sons and three daughters and played with home-made footballs with his friends at Twibukishe open grounds. He went to Wusaklie Primary School in 1959 and later moved to Nkana Primary School from where he was selected to Luanshimba Secondary School in 1966. His favourite subjects were chemistry and health sciences and he completed his secondary school education in 1970.
Simwala started playing football for the school team at Luanshimba in 1966, the same year in which he joined Rhokana United. He was encouraged by the support from teammates Freddie Mwila, Stone Chibwe and Henry Kalimukwa who gave him advice and guidance in football. The following year, he was selected to represent Zambia schools alongside players like George Mungwa, Peter M'hango, Richard Stephenson, Gibby Zulu, Edward Musonda, Emmanuel Mwape, Willie Phiri, Poni 'Express' Muyambango and Ackim Musenge.
Simwala was a skilful right winger with pace to burn and in his time at Rokana, he won the Challenge Cup in 1966 and the Heinrich (Chibuku) Cup in 1969, providing the cross for Eric Chekeloko's winner in a 1–0 victory over Mufulira Wanderers in Ndola. Playing alongside Zambian international stars Bernard Chanda and Brighton Sinyangwe, he won the Heinrich (Chibuku) Cup again in 1974. In October 1977, Chanda was suspended by the club for disciplinary reasons and Simwala replaced him as club captain. In December 1980, he decided to call time on his playing career and took up coaching.
Simwala first featured for the Zambian national team in October 1969 against Congolese club Daring Falcons in a three match series for the BAT Independence trophy, while he was still a schoolboy. His full international debut came a year later in a CAN qualifier against Tanzania in Dar es Salaam. His first goal for Zambia was in April 1973 when Zambia beat Ethiopia 4–2 in a World Cup qualifier in Lusaka. Six months later, Simwala was on the score sheet again when Zambia beat Morocco 4–0 in another World Cup qualifier in Lusaka, a match which he rated as one of his most memorable games.
...
Wikipedia