Grant okay with Chipolopolo top job pressure

By FAZ Media 

Newly appointed Zambia National Team coach Avram Grant has welcomed the pressure that comes with coaching the Chipolopolo, saying taking up the challenge was exactly what he wanted to do next.

Grant, a former Israel National Team coach, who had spells with English sides Portsmouth, Chelsea and West Ham and a national team gig with the Black Stars of Ghana, said football was a pressure game worldwide and the Chipolopolo challenge was warmly welcome.

“I was looking for the right challenge; the challenge here (in Zambia) is big and the potential is big and I am a man of challenges and this is the reason that I chose Zambia and Zambia also chose me and I will say thank you for choosing me,” the soft-spoken Grant said.

“You see the young national team of Zambia (is) improving a lot and I think this is the best (time) for building something good for the present and the future and it is things that I want to do.”

Grant said his mission with the Chipolopolo was to play positive football that will bring back the team in contention for the Africa Cup of Nations and many other international engagements that the team will be involved in.

“I came here because of the challenge and I hope when I leave here whether two years or more (from now), I will look around and say that we did a good job and also built a good foundation for the future,” Grant said.

“I came here as a football coach. Zambia has the potential, we (need to) set the target of what we want to achieve and I want to thank the president Andrew (Kamanga) and the (selection) Committee for choosing me and giving me the opportunity to share my experience and take Zambian football forward which I think Zambia deserves.”

Asked about the pressure that comes with coaching the Chipolopolo, Grant answered in the affirmative.

“Next year it will be 50 years since I started coaching, I don’t know one day when I didn’t have pressure. We always have pressure; I love this pressure this is why I like this job. I love coaching and to get results and get the team forward but it’s pressure and that’s why all of Zambia needs to be behind the national team,” he said.

“The game without pressure is not interesting for me, the pressure is high and the pressure is to reach the target. We have two games in March and beyond that, so I like the pressure.”

Among many honours that saw him guide Ghana to the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations final, Grant guided Chelsea to runner-up position behind Manchester United in the UEFA Champions League final in 2008, twice the Israeli Premier League with Maccabi Haifa in the 2000/01 and 2001/02 season and the Toto Cup Al in 2002.