Collins Mbesuma - First report on our new Zambian striker

Since I set up this website only a few weeks ago, I have had more emails requesting more information about one player than anything else. That player is our Zambian striker, Collins Mbesuma. When we first signed him, I did quite a bit of research using the trusty internet. The majority of websites were singing his praises and his goal scoring record for club and country looked very impressive.

So far he has only made 1 first team appearance for Portsmouth. That was a 15 minute cameo role at the end of the opening game of the season at home to Tottenham Hotspurs. He only had one real chance to score, but mucked up that effort. He looked well short of match fitness and all round conditioning.

The Portsmouth manager, Alain Perrin had been emailing Mbesuma prior to his arrival in England with training routines to make sure he was up to the same fitness levels as the rest of the squad. By the looks of the picture of him in training, it had little effect! I think he had to borrow David Unsworth's shorts!

Here is some comments taken from the Portsmouth Evening Newspaper (Look out Everton, here comes Collins - 20/08/2005)

Collins Mbesuma is still three weeks away from being let loose on the Premiership.

Alain Perrin believes the Zambian international will not be ready to be considered for a starting role until the Everton game on September 10.

Perrin has been impressed by the 21-year-old after watching him at close quarters in training since he arrived at Pompey last week.

He has marked the former Kaizer Chiefs goal-machine down as the type of poacher his team will need.

Mbesuma smashed all the South Africa league goal records last season, hitting the back of the net 35 times.

But Perrin feels the player still needs to develop his fitness and all-round sharpness.
He has given Mbesuma the target of doing that with a view to being ready to be unleashed on Everton in three weeks.

Perrin said: "He has not played for a while, so he has to work harder on the training ground."

"Maybe after the international games next month he will be ready to go."

"He looks as if he is sharp in the box. I think he will score goals for us. He needs to improve in other areas of his game, though."

Collins Mbesuma has been on target for Pompey though. He was part of a strong Pompey side that beat non-league Weymouth in a closed door practice match at the Wellington Sports Training Ground (see picture).

Mbesuma struck the first goal and another by Vincent Pericard gave Pompey a 2-0 victory in a match designed to keep the players ticking over. The continuous driving rain and wind were not conducive to good football however as at times it was hard to see too far in front of you.

As there is a lot of interest in Mbesuma, I will try to do regular post for all our overseas supporters with updates on our new striker.