Name: Ashious Melu (also Ashios or Ashols Melu)
Country:
ZambiaClub: Mufulira Wanderers F.C.
Position: *CB
Side: RF/BS
Age: 29-32 years (06/07/1957)
Height: 182 cm
Weight: 80 kg
Attack: 66
Defence: 81
Balance: 84
Stamina: 81
Top Speed: 80
Acceleration: 73
Response: 77
Agility: 75
Dribble Accuracy: 74
Dribble Speed: 69
Short Pass Accuracy: 76
Short Pass Speed: 76
Long Pass Accuracy: 72
Long Pass Speed: 80
Shot Accuracy: 66
Shot Power: 88
Shot Technique: 68
Free Kick Accuracy: 77
Curling: 65
Header: 76
Jump: 75
Technique: 78
Aggression: 71
Mentality: 79
Goalkeeper Skills: 50
Team Work: 77
Injury Tolerance: A
Condition: 5
Weak Foot Accuracy: 5
Weak Foot Frequency: 5
Consistency: 5
Growth type: Late/Peak
CARDS:
P11 - Long Ranger
P16 - Extra Attacker
SPECIAL ABILITIES: Middle Shooting
Attack/Defence Awareness Card: Defence Minded
INFO:
Melu was a centre-forward turned centre-back, although some sources report that he also played as side-back and midfielder. His career started in the late 1970s at Konkola Blades. He spent his best time at Mufulira Wanderers from 1978 to 1989. He then had short and unsuccessful experiences in Greece at Apollon Kalamarias and Austria at Favoritner from 1989 to 1991. He retired one year later. He capped for Zambia at least 27 times, scoring not less than 3 goals. He took part to the 1982, 1986 and 1992 African Cup of Nations. He's the only player who won the Zambian Footballer of the Year award as a striker and defender. His first win was in 1983 after he scored 43 goals in a season. Yet, he couldn't find a regular place in the national team. He became a mainstay for Zambia in 1986 after the transition into a defender. He won his second award one year later and was named national team captain in 1988, role he filled until 1992.
Starting his career as striker, Melu proved himself prolific and dangerous, especially with his long range shots and free kicks. He's credited as one of the players with the hardest shot in Zambian football history. His shots were so powerful that they could barely be stopped by goalkeepers and they reportedly knocked out several defenders.
It's as a centre-back that he established himself as a legend of Zambian football. He's considered one of the best defenders in the history of the country and arguably the best according to some. Melu was hard to overcome for he was strong as a rock, resilient, intelligent, solid in the air, capable of stopping anyone who was coming his way with composure and ease. He still had a well balanced body and the fact that he previously played as a striker clearly helped. He controlled and carried the ball with calmness despite his delicate position or penetrated off the ball forward through the midfield with skill and lightning quickness, showing an overlapping quality that is rare for a central defender. Not only the way held the ball was top tier, but his passing prowess and ball distribution were also class. And his scoring rate was still good as he would still score his fair amount of goals with long range shots and free kicks.
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