FAZ DREAMS BIG – 2022 YEAR TO REVIVE FORTUNES, KAMANGA

BY MICHAEL MIYOBA

THE FOOTBALL Association of Zambia (FAZ) says it will not relent in giving the Chipolopolo the necessary support in a quest to revive fortunes in this year.

FAZ president Andrew Kananga believes that with sustained efforts, the Chipolopolo will bounce back after a number of stars broke new grounds that could turn the standing of the Chipolopolo.

Kamanga urged all stakeholders to rally behind the Chipolopolo as this will give the lads an extra push to aspire for success in 2022. 

Kamanga said he has no doubt that with the soon to be announced technical bench, the Chipolopolo will start on a clean slate in the New Year which presents an opportunity for renewal and re-focusing.

“We will be looking for revived fortunes in 2022. We will not relent in giving the team the necessary support to prepare for international engagements,” Kamanga said. 

“We have been handed a blank page on which to write a beautiful story for our game. It will no doubt present its challenges, but we are more than ready to ensure that we do better than 2021.”

Kamanga said the association will immediately get down to work with the stadia upgrade of Kaole (Luapula), Kasama (Northern), Independence (North-Western) and David Kaunda Stadium in Eastern Province kicking off immediately. 

Kamanga said the upgrade of five stadia will inspire the leadership in the provinces to work harder towards talent identification. 

He said FAZ will be more than happy to take any of the junior national teams or women squads to play their international matches at any of the venues to promote ownership of the national team brand by the various provinces. 

“Our plan is to initiate stadia construction in the remaining five provinces that are not part of phase one. Our ultimate goal is for all 10 provincial centre’s to have one modern stadium,” Kamanga said.

Meanwhile FAZ says qualifying for the 2022 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations is a minimum target for the Copper Queens who will soon date Namibia in the Morocco 2022 African Women Championship. 

Kamanga said FAZ is mindful that the Copper Queens already set a very high bar by qualifying to the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.