By Kalumiana Kalumiana
Ex-Chipolopolo midfielder Noah Chivuta has described the appointment of his fellow 2012 AFCON-winning teammates and U23 contemporaries to join head coach Moses Sichone on the Zambia technical bench for 2025 Morocco next month as an opportunity for his generation to demonstrate that they can also deliver as coaches on the big stage.
Sichone was on Wednesday elevated from assistant to Chipolopolo head coach replacing his ex-boss Avram Grant who left the post by mutual consent on October 29,2025.
Joining Sichone as assistant is his former Chipolopolo teammate and fellow ex-Bundesliga export Andrew Sinkala who takes up his debut technical job in Zambia including former midfielder Perry Mutapa.
Mutapa, Sichone and Sinkala played with Chivuta at junior level in the late 1990s.
The 2012 AFCON-winning duo of goalkeeper Kennedy Mweene and defender Joseph Musonda have been appointed as goalkeeper coach and physical trainer respectively.
Chivuta told Revelation Sports in an interview from his base in Thailand that success for Sichone and his youthful bench was a huge test of what his generation can bring to the Zambian football table.
“This is a time to take over, but also to show how good we are and our consistency in whatever we are doing. Moses has been there, and it’s just right for him to take over because, on short notice, the AFCON is coming up now. So we needed somebody who has been there and to get that continuation. Obviously, it’s not like everything that Grant was doing was bad so obviously some things have to be changed and Moses (Sichone) can make his own. So, it’s a good transition in the sense of involving him again and to carry on with the rest with Andrew, Perry , Kennedy, and Joseph to come in,” Chivuta said.
“Like I said, they are all youthful coaches. They all want to prove a point, like make a mark in their coaching careers and this is a stage that is open to them for now. So, going to the AFCON, yes, there will be a little bit of pressure, but the good thing is, at least Moses is still there and Kennedy with his experience as a former goalkeeper.”
Sichone and his bench will undergo their first evaluation next week in two away friendlies that Chipolopolo is using as buildup for the 2025 AFCON that Morocco is going to host from December 21 to January 18.
Chipolopolo will initially play Bafana Bafana South Africa on November 15 at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha/Port Elizabeth.
Then, Zambia will be in Burundi on November 18 in Bujumbura.
“It’s high time for them to take over this time. And if they do well, they open doors also for us who are not part of the team now. You know, they trust people who come in. If it goes bad, for every young coach, for aspiring coaches like us, it would be difficult, because now the people and the FA won’t trust us, they will go back again to the old generation to come and take over, and they wouldn’t rely too much on us. So, this is a time for them to shine, “Chivuta said.
“It’s the time for them to open doors, opportunities for other young coaches of our generation to go in there because of their trust. So, they are our hope and we are behind them, praying for them to succeed in this job they have taken. “
Chivuta added that while the pressure was on Sichone’s star-studded bench to deliver, the powers that be and the fans must be patient with the bench.
“And I am just appealing to FAZ also to understand that Rome was not built in one day. So give them time to adapt, give them time to grow with the team, for them to be judged. I hope this AFCON won’t be judgement day for them. I think they need time; they need to grow their team. They are all young coaches who are there. They still have a long life span remaining in them,” Chivuta said.
“So we just wish them luck and I also just want to say thanks to the Association for following this route.It is a good this combination of coaches and the rotation of coaches I’ve seen. Many young coaches are getting involved, which is the way to go. And this is how Zambia will grow football-wise.”
Meanwhile, Chipolopolo are in Group A at the 2025 AFCON and will play Mali in their opening game on December 22, Comoros on December 26 and hosts Morocco on December 29.
