THE Zambia Sports Fans Association (ZASPOFA) has challenged newly appointed Zambia national soccer team coach Avraham Grant to make the country proud and take Zambia to Africa Cup of Nations.
ZASPOFA patron Peter Makembo said the people’s desire is to see Zambia break the jinx of failing to qualify for the AFCON after missing the last three editions of the continental championship.
Makembo noted that it is unfortunate that Zambia has struggled to compete at continental level despite having engaged some of the best local and foreign coaches in the recent past.
He urged Grant to pick players on merit and not based on recommendations from agents who are only interested in promoting their players even when those players are not doing well to deserve a national team call up.
“Our wish as fans is to see the Chipolopolo rise to become one of the feared teams in Africa. We have the resources, we have the players who are doing well in various international league and now we have a coach who has enough experience to take Zambian football forward,” Makembo said.
“All we ask from the new coach is to make us proud. For the association to give him the job meaning they believe and trust that he can deliver and as fans we don’t doubt that. We will do our part as fans to make the environment conducive for him to deliver according to our expectations,” he said.
Makembo hailed the Football Association of Zambia for choosing the former Chelsea and Ghana national team coach to lead the Chipolopolo.
Makembo is hopeful that Grant’s experience coaching some of the best teams in the world will help him succeed as a Chipolopolo gaffer.
He however tipped the Association to assemble a strong technical bench for the Israelite who is expected to come with one assistant coach.
“We hope a strong technical bench will be assembled to help the new coach deliver and our expectations is that Moses Sichone will be maintained as one of the assistants as he has been with the team for a while now,” Makembo said.
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