IT is pleasing that the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) has finally decided to go local for the Chipolopolo top job.
This vote of confidence will help in motivating the local coaches to work hard and prove that they too like the expatriates are capable of producing desired results.
I therefore wish Honour Janza the best of luck as he embarks on this journey, beginning today when the local-based players assemble in Lusaka for a three-day training programme.
As Janza takes the mantle from Frenchman Patrice Beaumelle, I wish to remind him of the importance of working with all age-group national team coaches.
Collaborating with coaches from junior teams helps in monitoring the progress of players and also having a smooth transition of players at all squads.
We saw in the past when some promising talent only starred at probably under-17 or 20 levels and then later vanish into thin air when everybody thought these were the players to don national colours for the Chipolopolo.
There is need for Janza, who is also FAZ technical director, to take keen interest in some of these sprouting players are help in moulding them into national stars.
If you look at the Spanish squad that won the FIFA 2010 World Cup, most of the players were products of their youth teams who even rubbed shoulders with some Zambian players at the FIFA Under-20 World Cup tournament.
But unlike the Spanish stars, Iker Casillas among others, most local players of that generation failed to make it to the top.
Another aspect which Janza and his technical bench need to develop is a good rapport with club coaches where these national team players come from.
Having a good relationship with the clubs will help in monitoring the players’ performances and other issues like the health of the footballers.
With a good rapport, the national team coaches will no longer be calling players who are injured or lack fitness to the squad since that information would have already filtered through to the Chipolopolo boss from respective clubs.
Club coaches should also be available to offer advice or indeed some solutions to the national team trainers.
I can only wish Janza the best of luck as he takes up this ‘hot’ job and stir the team to the 30th Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) finals in Morocco with the first assignment coming on September 6 against Mozambique.
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