The Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) stunned Chipolopolo supporters yesterday when it replaced acting coach of the team, George Lwandamina, with another interim trainer, Wedson Nyirenda, instead of naming the substantive coach as it promised earlier.
Before yesterday’s appointment, there were speculations that FAZ would name former South Africa coach, Gordon Igesund as the national team’s substantial manager. Instead the federation went for another acting coach citing pressures from Lwandamina’s Zesco United, which has an important CAF Champions League game against South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns this weekend in Ndola on September 17, with the return leg on September 24 in Pretoria.
Lwandamina leaves the post that he also held in a caretaker capacity since June, 2015 when he replaced Honour Janza.FAZ Secretary General, Ponga Liwewe, explained in a statement, “The process of recruiting as expatriate coach is still underway with finalization between FAZ and the Ministry of Youth, Sport and Child Development at an advanced stage.”
However, even with the coaching change in his team, Chipolopolo’s Captain, Rainford Kalaba, still believes that Zambia has every chance to qualify for the Russia 2018 World Cup from Group B.
Group comprises Nigeria, Algeria, Cameroun and Zambia.Zambia, like Nigeria, failed to qualify for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations after coming third in group E that contains Congo, Kenya and Guinea Bissau that won the group.
They have never qualified for the World Cup since its inception in 1930. However, Kalaba insists that with hard work the Chipolopolo could still qualify for the 2018 World Cup from the part of the players.
“We have a chance to qualify, we still believe in ourselves,” he said.“Even if we failed to qualify to the Africa Cup, we don’t have to get distracted; we have to work hard on the field and stay focused and united until we reach our destiny in Russia 2018.”
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