FOOTBALL Association of Zambia (FAZ) president Andrew Kamanga is confident that Chipolopolo will qualify to the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.
Zambia will not be among the 24 teams that will gather at the AfCON next month but Football House is plotting a comeback in the next edition.
Zambia has not played at the AfCON since 2015.
Kamanga stated in his weekly column that the next Chipolopolo coach will be tasked to deliver an AfCON berth for the national team.
“We have no doubt that the next coach will be able to meet our expectations that will have the Ivory Coast 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualification as a key benchmark. Our country is replete with so much talent as demonstrated by the success of the junior teams,” Kamanga said.
Kamanga said the future of the senior team is bright given the number of Chipolopolo players that are punching above their weights.
Kamanga said hailed most players for the progress they made in 2021.
“We are also happy to look back on the tremendous steps made by some of our players in foreign leagues in 2021. We saw three of our Chipolopolo players break into top leagues in Europe with Patson Daka (Leicester), Enock Mwepu (Brighton& Albion) breaking into the English Premiership League while Fashion Sakala headed to Scotland (Glasgow Rangers).
“The form of players like Eward Chilufya and Emmanuel Banda in Sweden (both Djurgardens) with the two Kangwas in Russia (Arsenal Tula), Kings and Evans gives us belief that our team will morph into a strong force. We have other players doing very well on the African continent like in South Africa where Augustine Mulenga, Toaster Nsabata, Gamphani Lungu while Clatous Chama in Morocco and Tandi Mwape are also striking the postures,” the FAZ boss wrote.
He said locally based players have also impressed.
“Domestically, we can also take pride in some strides our local players are making in our league confirming the MTN Super League as being among the top in Africa. Ultimately, we hope that the new Chipolopolo coach will make the best out of these players in building a strong squad. This will include scouring for players of Zambian heritage in foreign leagues,” he stated.
PHOTO CREDIT: FAZ
