Zambia national team coach Milutin ‘Micho’ Sredojevic has revealed that he will use the October 7th friendly matches to give game time to the fringe players.
Micho who was speaking this morning after a training session said he is looking at making his best starting line up in his first two friendly matches against Malawi and Kenya before using the match against South Africa as a gauge.
The Serbian gaffer was also quick to thank Zambian coaches who have done everything to keep players in shape during and after the lockdown. He also revealed that he will reduce his squad from the current 40 players to 23 by Sunday.
The regulars and the foreign-based players will battle for the starting places in the game against Bafana Bafana which will conclude a busy week of international friendly matches for the Copper Bullets.
“First of all after the roller coaster journey to Croatia motivated and seeing from the young boys that Zambian football players have something special that any coach would be motivated to do and to work with I believe in the power of coaching. I believe in the Talent of Zambian players and we started yesterday our journey in preparation for the triple-header international friendly matches in October against Malawi Kenya and South Africa. We have completed the squad with 40 players that we are looking at their few more players that we are looking also on at present. We assess the state of the players where they have been, we were in lockdown, Then we had a league that continued and then stopped and now the players are coming from the off season and just started the preseason,” he said.
“I want to give credit to my colleagues, Zambian coaches that put the players in correct fitness and shape until now. We have left our respective teams and coaches to work with the players for almost one month now for this some days before the league start, We are looking at reducing the players from 40 to at least 23/24 players.”
“Meaning from 40 that will in Contention with 13 players that we have invited seven of them from Europe and six of them from the African continent. We shall make a competitive Squad, In the first match against Malawi, We are looking to give the chance mostly to the local players and some of the players playing outside that have not been seen enough and then we are going with a combined squad to Kenya and from first two matches against Malawi and against Kenya we want to see what is Best of the Best of ours so that we have a general check-up against Bafana Bafana. We want to see where we are, how we are, and in which direction to go with the squad that will go to Kenya and to South Africa. Whoever will not be able to play against Bafana Bafana, we are looking one high-profile International Friendly, So graphically with one of the big clubs in the top three, Pirates, Chiefs, or Mamelodi Sundowns so that everyone gets the mileage in the legs everyone is testing how they behave what they do and what they’re capable to serve the nation in competitive matches in November against Botswana in between also, we have started with this preparation for the CHAN tournament in January and that to happen we shall have Malawi and that friendly game against a high-profile team in South Africa we shall have also two non-FIFA friendly matches that we shall confirm the dates later and whatsoever before the November Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers and before continuing to return Sunday and football where it once was and where it belongs among the best in Africa,” he added.
Zambia is building up for the back-to-back Cameroon 2021 (to be played in 2022) Africa Cup of Nations Group H qualifiers against Botswana.
FULL SQUAD
(GOALKEEPERS)
Jackson Kakunta (Power Dynamos), Lameck Siame (Kabwe Warriors), Sebastian Mwange (Green Eagles), Richard Nyirenda (Nchanga Rangers)
(DEFENDERS)
Gift Zulu (Nkana), Kondwani Chiboni, Benson Sakala, Zachariah Chilongoshi (all Power Dynamos), Benedict Chepeshi (Red Arrows), Pride Mwansa (Nkwazi), Kebson Kamanga (Zanaco), Luka Banda, Luka Ng’uni (both Napsa Stars), Isaac Shamujompa, Solomon Sakala (Zesco United), Dominic Chanda (Kabwe Warriors)
(MIDFIELDERS)
Leonard Mulenga, Robin Siame (both Green Buffaloes), Kelvin Kapumbu, Boyd Musonda (both Zanaco), Gozon Mutale (Green Eagles), Thomas Zulu (Nkwazi), Laurent Muma (Forest Rangers), Paul Katema (Red Arrows), Godfrey Ngwenya, George Chisala (both Power Dynamos), Collins Sikombe (Napsa Stars), Chaniza Zulu (Lumwana Radiants), Clement Mundia (Kabwe Warriors), Amity Shamende (Green Eagles), Patrick Gondwe (Nkana), Bruce Musakanya, Kelvin Mubanga (Zesco United), Webster Muzaza (Forest Rangers)
(STRIKERS)
Emmanuel Chabula (Nkwazi), Akakulubelwa Mwachiaba, Jimmy Ndhlovu (Kabwe Warriors), Joseph Phiri (Red Arrows), Ricky Banda (Indeni), Friday Samu (Green Buffaloes)
All the best to Micho and the boys. Better results are coming.