Nora, Copper Queens part ways after months of tension

She came in as the game changer, tactician, but now leaves with nothing but complaints. After a brief stink in the dugout of the Ghanaian women’s team, Nora Hauptle declared herself the missing piece that the Copper Queens had missed for ages.

But a year after, a miss out of the Olympics, the first-round AFCON knockout, and complaints of contractual misalignments with the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) have circled the tenure of the Swedish.

In a statement, FAZ announced that Hauptle had mutually separated with the National team, automatically rendering a vacancy that has now been occupied temporarily by Assistant Coach Charles Halubono. Initially the fans felt that the Queens needed an expatriate coach, but now, as things stand, mixed feelings have crowded the Zambian football fraternity.

As some would say, the separation was written in the skies, especially after Hauptle revealed her frustrations with the lack of friendliness and requested to have a part-time arrangement, serving the Queens and UEFA, an unprecedented arrangement in the history of Zambia.

Now that she is gone, the biggest question that will be asked in both the offices of FAZ and the streets is who will be appointed as coach: an expatriate or a local coach.

Back to the drawing board, but maybe the drawing board has been overused, and it’s time FAZ finds another board (decision makers) to scout for a better coach that will linger until the Queens claim silverware—continental or global.

Article by Samuel Mutale