By Mubukwanu Kaingu
Honour Janza, the last man to take Chipolopolo to AFCON, has described Zambia’s 2023 qualification as a dream come true and paid tribute to those who made it happen after an agonizing three successive qualification failures.
Janza steered Chipolopolo to the 2015 AFCON in Equatorial Guinea where Zambia made a group stage exit with two draws and a loss.
The 2012 AFCON winner as assistant coach said in an interview that things can only get better for Chipolopolo following their long-awaited return to Africa’s premier cup competition.
“I think it is something everyone has been dreaming of getting back to AFCON,” Janza said.
“I would like to congratulate the boys for returning us to the biggest stage of African football and also the technical staff led by Avram Grant.”
Janza added that Zambia’s return to AFCON is a priceless moment.
“It is a job well down. It is plus for us as Zambians it is like souvenir it is something that gives us a lot of joy and happiness,” he said.
“As a football nation, we want to see ourselves at the highest stage of African football.
“As one of those that have been to the AFCON three to four times, and also the last coach to take them to the AFCON, it feels so good that Zambia has gone back.”
Janza also had some comforting words for FAZ President Andrew Kamanga who had taken a battering during Chipolopolo’s eight-year AFCON absence.
“I think this is a good gesture, thank you so much to the Kamanga-led executive and the FAZ administration for fighting hard,” Janza said.
“It hasn’t been easy I know what it means not to qualify. There was a lot of pressure and they did not succumb to the pressure.
“I just want everyone to support the players, the technical staff, to support Football House so that we can reclaim the glory for the absence of the last three AFCONs.”
Janza added that the onus was now on the Patson Daka generation to step up to the big stage following their 2017 U20 AFCON victory as hosts and exploits at the 2017 FIFA U20 World Cup in South Korea where they reached the quarterfinals.
“I know the benefits of going to the AFCON. It also exposes our young boys to the world so that we can be able to take more players to Europe so that it will bring about good development,” Janza said.
“You can see apart from the last AFCON and the U20 FIFA World Cup of the Patson Daka group who also won the U20 AFCON which was also a good platform to export our players.
“It would be healthy and to bring back that recognition at the international level.
“What I want to encourage our players is that will have the opportunity not only to make use of it individually so that we can be recognized again for having won it in 2012 and our last appearance in 2015.
“We need to go and showcase ourselves to let them feel our presence that we are still around.”
Chipolopolo are in Group F where they will face DR Congo, Tanzania and the 2022 FIFA World Cup semifinalist Morocco.
“The groups at AFCON will always be a challenge. There will never be an easy group at AFCON. Remember when we won the 2012 AFCON? Everyone doubted us because we were in a big group of Senegal, Libya and the hosts Equatorial Guinea,” Janza said.
“But what is key is how you apply yourself when you get there. So for me, we should not look at the opponent because in 2012 our opponents had more names than Zambia but I think the biggest picture was that the team and technical staff were focused.
“It is not about the group but how prepared are.
“We need to hit the ground running tactically and mentally so all those things must gel between now and the first game.
“The first game is very important. From there we can see beyond the vision.
“Yes, the group has teams that can give us a challenge but let’s not look at that but how prepared we are and who are we carrying.
“They must be players that can fit in the tactical system that Grant has planned but so far, so good. I expect some good to come from there.”
