Zambia's manager, Avram Grant, strategically navigating through a disastrous CHAN 2024 campaign
Avram Grant Reflects on Zambia's CHAN 2024 Exit and Looks Ahead to 2025 AFCON
Avraham Grant, the coach of Zambia's national football team, has expressed his feelings of no pressure following the team's elimination from the CHAN 2024 tournament. Despite the disappointing result, Grant remains optimistic about the future, particularly the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament in Morocco.
Grant, a seasoned coach with an impressive resume, has previously reached the UEFA Champions League final with Chelsea in 2008 and finished as the Premier League runner-up the same year. He also managed Israel's national team during the 2006 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, maintaining an unbeaten run.
In the CHAN 2024, Grant led Zambia through a challenging group, often labelled as the "group of death" due to the presence of two-time champions Morocco and DR Congo. Although Zambia finished last in Group A, losing all four games, Grant admitted that the tournament served as a necessary testing ground, a sacrifice for long-term advantages.
Against Kenya, Grant felt his team showed improvement, but conceded due to problems in defence. He commended Kenya for hosting a wonderful CHAN tournament and lauded Morocco and Kenya for progressing to the quarter-finals.
Zambia's next fixture is a World Cup qualifier against Morocco on September 8, 2025. Grant plans to analyse Zambia's players to form a strong team capable of replicating the 2012 AFCON heroics.
Before taking over the Zambia national team, Grant's coaching career began in Israel, where he managed Maccabi Tel Aviv and won the Israeli Premier League in 1992 and 1995. He also led Maccabi Haifa to victory in the Israeli Premier League in 2001 and 2002.
Grant's tenure with Chelsea saw him lead the team to the League Cup final in 2008 and the FA Cup final in 2010. He also managed Ghana and led them to the 2015 AFCON final. More recently, he won the Serbian Super Liga title with Partizan Belgrade in 2012.
Zambia qualified for the 2025 AFCON tournament in Morocco, and Chipolopolo only managed to score two goals in the CHAN 2024 tournament, against Morocco and Angola. Currently, Zambia is third in Group E, with six points after five games.
Grant's target was not to win the CHAN 2024, but to improve the first team for the 2025 AFCON. With his extensive experience and clear strategic vision, football fans in Zambia and across Africa eagerly await the team's performance in the upcoming tournament.
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