Revisiting Austine Iheanacho: The Most Controversial Figure in Zambian Football
Revisiting Austine Iheanacho: The Most Controversial Figure in Zambian Football
Despite receiving a substantial signing fee and securing a one-year contract, the injured Nigerian player never trained a single day at Sunset Stadium.
This incident recalls the infamous story of Ali Dia, who famously deceived Graeme Souness into letting him play in the Premier League for Southampton by pretending to be the cousin of George Weah, the legendary former AC Milan star and 1995 Ballon d’Or winner.
At Sunset Stadium, Nigerian striker Austine Chingozie Iheanacho was introduced with great fanfare on September 23, 2022, expected to strengthen the team’s attack.
However, 253 days later (69.32% of a common year), the season ended without Iheanacho ever kicking a ball or participating in a single training session.
The ZamFoot Crew reported a year ago that the club had mutually parted ways with Iheanacho, agreeing on a settlement. A year later, this incident remains one of the most shocking scams in Zambian football history.
WHAT HAPPENED?
Iheanacho joined Zanaco on September 23, 2022, as a free agent, signing a one-year deal with the Bankers. The club announced his arrival to bolster the attack following the departure of Moses Phiri, who had left for Simba SC in June 2022.
Phiri had been a key player, finishing as the second top scorer in the 2021/2022 MTN Super League season with 14 goals and winning the 2020/21 FAZ Super Division golden boot with 17 goals, helping Zanaco qualify for Continental football.
“We are pleased to announce the signing of Nigerian striker Austine Chigozie Iheanacho. He joins us on a one-year deal as a free agent from Ahli Khartoum SC of Sudan.
The Nigerian striker arrives to boost our attack following recent departures in that department. Iheanacho has spent most of his football career in Sudan, playing for Ayl Arab, Shebab Nasri, Ahli Merowe, and Hilal Fasher,” read a statement from Zanaco.
SIGNED WITH A KNEE INJURY
Shockingly, Iheanacho was signed while carrying a serious knee injury. It seems that in their haste, Zanaco failed to conduct a medical examination before offering him a contract.
Whether this was a deliberate oversight or an unfortunate mistake, it proved costly, leaving the club with a player they couldn’t use or offload.
“He never trained with the team once due to the severity of his knee injury,” a source at Sunset Stadium told the ZamFoot Crew. The rushed acquisition of Iheanacho raises questions about the club’s decision-making process.
A source at Sunset Stadium later revealed that the club’s management was unhappy with how the transfer was handled and was seeking answers.
“The officials from Zanaco Bank are displeased with how this transfer was managed,” the source said in February 2023. “They’re questioning how a player with such a serious injury ended up at the club.”
This incident echoes a previous case involving Jacques Bitumba Bakulu, who joined the club in 2021 from Moroccan second-tier side Olympique Club de Khouribga on a two-year deal but was only seen on the bench once against Prison Leopards.
According to the Zanaco website, Iheanacho had previously played for Ahli Khartoum SC of Sudan, Ayl Arab, Shebab Nasri, Ahli Merowe, and Hilal Fasher.
As the new MTN Super League season is set to kick off on August 17th, with the Black Label Charity Shield on August 10th, this saga remains a stark reminder of the pitfalls in football transfers.
