Zambia national team caretaker coach Aggrey Chiyangi says he will use the 2019 COSAFA Senior Challenge Cup as a building block for the 2020 African Nations Championship (CHAN).
Chiyangi told the ZamFoot Crew after Monday’s morning training session that he was not under pressure to perform but was forcing on building a winning mentality in the team.
“The Cosafa is a build up for CHAN for us as you know CHAN you also use local players .What is important is to focus on winning . We will take it stage by stage but what is important is to have a winning mentality,” He said.
“Am not under pressure for anything. To achieve anything you have to lay down the procedure. If we bring in the pressure it will swallow us,” He added.
When asked about taking over on a permanent basis as Chipolopolo boss Chiyangi refused to comment saying he was an employ of ZNS.
“That question I usually don’t answer because at the moment am contracted to ZNS,” He said.
The team commenced their preparations for the tournament with a Monday morning training session . A number of players turned except for Nkana and Buildcon players who have a rescheduled Super league match on Wednesday.
Zambia will join the competition at the quarterfinal stage where they will clash with the winner of Group B, which includes Mozambique, 2015 winners Namibia, Malawi and Seychelles.
The four time Champions will be chasing a third final appearance in a row having suffered back to back defeats to Zimbabwe in the last two finals with a 3-1 margin in 2017 and 4-2 in 2018.
The 2019 edition of the CoSAFA Senior Challenge Cup will run from May 25 to June 8 in Durban South Africa.
SQUAD
Goalkeepers: Toaster Nsabata (Zanaco), Kelvin Malunga (Nkana), Sebastian Mwange (Green Eagles)
Defenders: Simon Silwimba, Clement Mwape, Mwila Phiri (all Zesco United), Lyton Thole, Gift Zulu (both Nkana), Lawrence Chungu (Zanaco), Adrian Chama (Green Buffaloes), Isaac Shamujompa (Buildcon), Thandi Mwape (Kabwe Warriors)
Midfielders: Benson Sakala (Power Dynamos), Kelvin Mubanga (Nkana), Clement Mundia (Kabwe Warriors), Webster Muzaza (Forest Rangers), Bruce Musakanya (Red Arrows), Ernest Mbewe (Zanaco), Moses Phiri (Buildcon), Marvin Jere (Lusaka Dynamos)
Strikers: Austin Muwowo (Forest Rangers), Emmanuel Chabula (Nkwazi), Lazarous Kambole (Zesco United), Chitiya Mususu (Zanaco), Tapson Kaseba (Green Eagles)
Let the under23 National team that has been named by Chambeshi, represent Zambia at CASOFA and use that to prepare for the Olympic Qualifier vs Congo. There is no need of the Senior Team playing in the CASOFA Cup. The guys have been a disappointment. Time to look in the future. The under23 are our only hope, so let them compete in the COSAFA games, if at all we are serious
My opinion
The U23 can not play COSAFA as the dates of their game with Congo clashes with the COSAFA tournament. It could have been the most sensible thing to do.
Too bad did not take note of that
Aggrey should prove himself at Cosafa and Chan .As fans we have lost confidence in local coaches he has a difficulty task of restoring our confidence in local coaches