Zambia’s head coach Avram Grant has shed light on why his side’s difficult campaign at the African Nations Championship (CHAN 2024) has not come as a surprise to him.
The Chipolopolo have endured a tough run in Group A, losing all three of their matches so far. They opened with a 2-0 defeat against DR Congo, followed by a 2-1 loss to Angola, before falling 3-1 to Morocco. Now, with co-hosts Kenya awaiting them in their final group stage match, Zambia faces the prospect of exiting the tournament without a single point.
Despite the disappointing results, Grant insists he foresaw such challenges from the start. The veteran tactician revealed that he brought a largely youthful squad to the competition, with the aim of testing new players and identifying talent that can be integrated into the senior team. For him, CHAN 2024 was more of a long-term project rather than a short-term success mission.
“From the beginning, our ambition was to build a team,” said the coach. “Of course, winning would have been ideal, but what matters is that the players are improving with each game. Zambia does not have as many Europe-based stars as other nations, so tournaments like these give us a chance to develop.”
Grant added that despite the defeats, he has spotted at least three players who could graduate to the senior national side ahead of upcoming international assignments, including the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco. That, in his view, makes the campaign valuable, even if the results do not reflect immediate success.
Zambia’s performance against Morocco offered some encouragement. Although the Chipolopolo went down 3-1, they showed fight in the second half and even had two goals disallowed. That resilience is what Grant hopes his players will carry into their final game against Kenya.
The coach has dismissed suggestions of quitting, insisting his team will keep fighting until the end. He believes Zambia still has the capacity to trouble opponents and will be aiming to finish the tournament on a positive note, even if qualification is already out of reach.
As the Chipolopolo prepare to face the Harambee Stars, the message from their coach is clear: CHAN 2024 may have been a struggle, but it is laying the foundation for Zambia’s future.
