J
ust over a decade ago,
Zambia won their first
Africa Cup of Nations
as their modest squad
saw off the mighty Didier
Drogba and his Ivory
Coast team-mates on
penalties in Gabon. But since the
heady success of 2012, Zambia have
suffered a rapid decline after decades
of being perennial qualifiers for the
AFCON finals.
The defence of their title proved
all too brief in 2013 in South Africa,
and they also went out in the group
stage of the 2015 finals in Equatorial
Guinea. For the three subsequent
tournaments, they failed to qualify
in what has been a major blow.
Changing that narrative is the
immediate ambition of new coach
Aljosa Asanovic, appointed inJanuary
and eager to begin the rebuilding
process when the Africa Cup of
Nations qualifiers start inJune.
“Qualifying for the 2023 Cup of
Nations finals in Ivory Coast is my
main target and, for a football-mad
country like Zambia, it’s the absolute
minimum,” the Croatian tellsWorld
Soccer.“It’snotamaybeforme.
People might think I’m being over-
optimistic or arrogant, but I have to
set this goal to convince the players
to come with me on the journey.”
Asanovic, 56, spent six months
before his appointment as the
technical director of the Football
Association of Zambia and so had
something of a head start when
he replaced Beston Chambeshi.
Getting to know the local league
has been a bonus but the focus is
working on building a team with the
likes of UK-based Patson Daka, Enock
Mwepu and Fashion Sakala as the core
of his selection. “We have guys who
are playing in the Premier League,
which is the best championship in
the world as far as I’m concerned,”
he says of Leicester City striker Daka
and Brighton midfielder Mwepu.
“Everyone is talking about them,
and this they deserve, but there are
many others who can also be crucial
for us.
“We have about17 players at clubs
in Europe and they are the ones who
will bring the extensive experience tothe national team.”
In his first games in charge in
March, as they beat Congo in a
friendly but lost to Iraq and Benin,
Asanovic picked
English-born
defender Frankie
Musonda, who
plays at Raith
Rovers, and
unheralded Aime Mabika, fresh from
signing his first professional contract
with MLS outfit Inter Miami.
But Asanovic also sees much talent
domestically and rates the Zambianleague as competitive. “It’s strong
and athletic and with powerful
players, maybe lacking a little on
the tactical discipline side but inthe national team this is something
we can easily work on.”
With the locally-based players he
says they will have a good tilt at the
next African Nations Championship,Missing out...Zambia
went out in the second
round of 2022 World
Cup qualifyingTalented generation...
Enock Mwepu (L) and
Patson Daka (R)“I really believe I know how I can put Zambian
football back to a high level”Aljosa Asanovic
Zambia’s new head coach tasked with
returning the nation to its former statusHeadliners