‘DAKA HAS CHARACTER’

IT’S not easy to score that many goals especially in Europe and hence there is need to respect Patson Daka for showing character, says former national soccer team coach Nchimunya Mweetwa. Mweetwa has also commended Daka for remaining focussed after having endured insults a few seasons ago from Zambian fans while on the books of …

‘DAKA HAS CHARACTER’
IT’S not easy to score that many goals especially in Europe and hence there is need to respect Patson Daka for showing character, says former national soccer team coach Nchimunya Mweetwa. Mweetwa has also commended Daka for remaining focussed after having endured insults a few seasons ago from Zambian fans while on the books of Power Dynamos during which he underwent a dry spell. Daka increased his goal tally in the Austrian Bundesliga after he scored his 24th goal over the weekend, a tally that makes him the first Zambian to record such a feat in any European league and is second on the top scorers’ charts to Tom Welshman who has 26 goals. Mweetwa scored 18 goals in the 2007 season while on the books of ROPS in Finland the closest a Zambian got to reach the 20-goal mark in a European league. Previously, former national team striker Mwape Miti scored 19 goals for Odense in the Danish League in the 2002/03 Season. But Mweetwa noted that scoring in Europe was no joke and hence Daka needed to be saluted and that being ranked 13th deadliest striker in the same category as big names in Ronaldo and Messi was no mean achievement. “What Patson has done needs to be applauded because 24 goals in a season is not easy. This boy today has been ranked as the 13th deadliest striker where Ronaldo and Messi are so we need to respect that,’’ Mweetwa said. “If you look at this boy (Daka) two to three seasons ago used to be insulted but his mental strength is what has kept him going and today he is there scoring goals.   He is a strong lad and I for one I have so much respect for him,” Daka is on the hunt for a top scorer’s award in the Austrian league having now scored 24 goals and only second to RZ Pellets’s Shom Weissman who is three goals ahead.