The Zambian government is happy with the winning strategy that the Football Association of Zambia executive is displaying as evidenced by the 2019 COSAFA win.
“On behalf of President Lungu, indeed on my own behalf and that of the Zambian people, especially the football loving Zambians – we are very proud of this achievement. It has come at a time, when all of us were losing hope, that maybe football in Zambia is dwindling. Now we are seeing that truly your executive has put up plans which are meant not only to win the game today, but win games as we go forward,” Minister of Sports, Youth and Child Development said.
Honourable Mosese Mawere said he was happy to recieve the COSAFA trophy on behalf of the FAZ patron, President Edgar Lungu and the Zambian government.
Speaking during the presentation of the 2019 COSAFA Cup to government, FAZ President Andrew Kamanga outlined the strategy being implemented to secure more titles for the national teams.
“The national team participated in the COSAFA Senior Men’s tournament in Durban – joining at the quarter-final stage. We are very happy that, despite failing to qualify for the 2019 AFCON, we have been able to make preparations to ensure Zambia not only participates but wins in the next edition of the 2021 Africa Cup, as well as the 2020 CHAN and indeed the 2022 World Cup.”
“In that regard, we are on course in our preparations. For COSAFA in particular, we have been in the finals three times in the last three years – twice we have lost to Zimbabwe in the final but this time around we beat Zimbabwe in the semi-final and managed to beat Botswana in the final.”
“I must also report that we have a team in Morocco, playing a number of friendlies – we played Cameroon in Spain and then on the 16th we are plating Morocco in Marrakech and on the 19th the team go to Abu Dhabi to play against Ivory Coast. We may not be participating in the Africa Cup but we have kept the team active,” Kamanga said.
The FAZ President also informed the Minister that progress was being made to recruit a head coach for the senior national team.
In his remarks, Mr Mawere said President Lungu and the government were excited by the COSAFA win and the development agenda of the FAZ executive.
“As government and the people of Zambia, we are very expectant of the FAZ executive to achieve a lot of milestones – in terms of football.
“Zambia is a footballing nation, you can’t take that away from us. We love football as Zambians and if sports, football, is not doing well – we get sick as a country and become unproductive – so please help us by performing to the expectations of the Zambians.
“So we expect that this win, of COSAFA, should be a light at the end of the tunnel for us.”
The Minister said he expects Zambia to qualify for CHAN, the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and the World Cup because the country has enough football talent.
“I must say that I am happy with the programmes that FAZ has put up; where you are now going into the districts to tap talent and provide programmes aimed at promoting football in schools and also in communities.
“Please continue, as that is the route we need. I can ssure you that, this route will rekindle Football in Zambia, because we need a lot of competitions at community level and at school level.”
The Minister said that the expectation was that even people in rural areas would be able to access football development.
Stand-in national team coach Aggrey Chiyangi thanked the government for the support given to the national team and that it had motivated the win and the team were committed to lifting more trophies.
The FAZ delegation to the minister’s office was led by FAZ President Andrew Kamanga accompanied by FAZ General Secretary Adrian Kashala, National Team Manager Desmond Mngawa, National Team Coach Aggrey Chiyangi, Team vice captain Bruce Musakanya and the 2019 COSAFA Goalkeeper tournament winner Sebastian Mwange.