James Phiri

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James Phiri
Personal information
Full name	James Phiri
Date of birth	(1968-02-13)February 13, 1968
Place of birth	Lusaka, Zambia
Date of death	January 5, 2001(2001-01-05) (aged 32)
Height	1.90 m (6 ft 3 in)
Playing position	Goalkeeper
Youth career
1983-1988	Chawama Youth club
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps^†	(Gls)^†
1988-1989	Barclays Bank F.C.
1990-1998	Zanaco F.C.
1998-2000	Qingdao Hainiu
National team
1993-1998	Zambia	43	(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals).

James Phiri (13 February 1968 - 5 January 2001^[1]) was a Zambian footballer, and is regarded as one of the best Zambian goalkeepers of his generation. He was the main goalkeeper in the squad for the 1994 and 1996 African Nations Cup tournaments^[2] and was voted Zambian Footballer of the Year for two consecutive seasons in 1993 and 1994.

Phiri first played for Chawama Youth Club before joining Zambian Division II side Barclays Bank F.C. in the late eighties. He then joined Zanaco F.C., a club on the rise in 1990. When most of the Zambia national team was wiped out in the horrific air crash off the coast of Gabon in April 1993, Phiri was one of the goalkeepers called to the newly constituted team and he made his debut in a friendly against Malawi on 22 May 1993. Standing at almost 2m tall, he starred as Zambia just missed out on a World Cup place and settled for a place at the 1994 African Cup of Nations finals. At the end of the year, he was voted Zambian Footballer of the Year, an award which he won again the following year. At the CAN 1994 finals, Zambia defied the odds and went all the way to the final where they were pipped by Nigeria’s Super Eagles 2-1.

Phiri minded the Zambian goal again at CAN 1996 in South Africa where Zambia recorded victories over Burkina Faso, Sierra Leone and most impressively, a 3-1 triumph over Egypt in the quarter-finals. However, they imploded 4-2 in the semi-final against Tunisia. When Zambia lost a FIFA World Cup qualifier to Sudan on 1 June 1996 in Khartoum,^[3] Phiri lost his place to Davies Phiri. He was the third choice goalkeeper for Zambia at CAN 1998 and later that year, he moved to Chinese club Qingdao Hainiu on a two-year deal. When his contract expired, he returned to Zambia and retired to join the Zanaco coaching bench. He also managed his own community team in Lusaka called Ibrahim Stars.

Phiri died of cancer in January 2001 in Lusaka.

References

↑ http://allafrica.com/stories/200101090106.html
↑ Courtney, Barrie. "African Nations Cup 1994 - Final Tournament Details". RSSSF. Retrieved 2009-07-01.
↑ James Phiri – FIFA competition record

v t e Zambia squad – 1994 African Cup of Nations Runners-up

GK Mubanga GK Mwamba GK Phiri DF Chitangi DF Chongo DF Litana DF Malitoli DF Mulenga DF Musabula DF Tembo MF Bwalya MF Chilumba MF Lungu MF Makwaza MF Sakala MF Sichikolo FW Bwalya FW Bwalya FW Malitoli FW Mbasela FW Saileti Coach: Porterfield

v t e Zambia squad – 1996 African Cup of Nations Third Place

GK Mbulo GK D. Phiri GK J. Phiri DF Chitangi DF Chongo DF Kamwanga DF Litana DF Makasa DF Malitoli DF Mwewa MF Joel Bwalya MF Johnson Bwalya MF Lungu MF Malitoli MF Musonda MF Mutale MF Namzaba MF Tembo FW K. Bwalya FW Lota FW Miti FW Saileti Coach: Poulsen

v t e Zambia squad – 1998 African Cup of Nations

1 J. Phiri 2 Chilumba 3 Lota 4 Tembo 5 Lungu 6 Mumamba 7 Makasa 8 Chongo 9 Litana 10 Malitoli 11 Bwalya 12 D. Phiri 13 Chisanga 14 Kamwandi 15 Kamwanga 16 Tembo 17 Chitila 18 Musonda 19 Kilambe 20 Malitoli 21 Sichone 22 Mbulo Coach: Ziese (Mungwa)

Persondata
Name	Phiri, James
Alternative names
Short description	Footballer
Date of birth	February 13, 1968
Place of birth	Lusaka, Zambia
Date of death	January 5, 2001
Place of death	Lusaka, Zambia

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