THERE is need for the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) to arrange quality friendly matches for the Chipolopolo to put the players in good tone ahead of the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) that gets underway in Equatorial Guinea in a month’s time.
While a friendly match has been arranged with South Africa, there is need for FAZ to try to secure more matches with other teams that have qualified to the continental showpiece.
Thus the plan to play the likes of Egypt or Morocco is welcome but there is a fear that these sides might not provide their best available strongest squads as they are not taking part at the competition.
Therefore, it would be prudent that FAZ engages teams that have qualified because they will field their strongest possible sides and give our Chipolopolo the deserved preparations ahead of such an important tournament.
It would not make sense to play weaker sides, beating them with cricket score lines thereby lying to ourselves that we are ready then fail to perform at the tournament when we play Tunisia, DR Congo and Cape Verde.
Algeria, in my view, would be a strong opposition to play against to prepare against Tunisia while the likes of Ghana, Senegal and even Cameroon would help us prepare for the DR Congo.
With Zambia opting to camp at its traditional venue in South Africa, one wonders how many countries that have qualified will be heading down south as some might opt to camp in a neighbouring but Ebola free nations for easy acclimatisation.
Player selection will be key for coach Honour Janza to come up with a team that can win him the tournament.
As I said last time, I feel Zambia were pitted in a relatively easy Group and could even reach the semi finals looking at the opponents in Group A where there is Equatorial Guinea, Congo Brazzaville, Gabon and Burkina Faso.
But reaching that far will largely depend on how well we prepare as a team as we head back to a country where it all started from in our bid to win the AFCON title for a second time.
It is also hoped that FAZ have started doing their homework about Ebebiyin where the team will be based. Issues of accommodation needs to be sorted out now than starting to move the team when the competition is about to start.
Lastly, my condolences to the Ndovi family over the death of Mwiza who died in the road traffic accident that claimed four lives at the weekend. My thoughts also to the family who lost their beloved ones in the Toyota Prado that rammed into the Zesco United executive bus.
Wishing Nyambe Mulenga and Satchmo Chakawa a quick recover as well as youngster Changwe Kalale, who suffered a spinal injury on their way to joining the Chipolopolo camp on Sunday.
Wishing you an enjoyable sporting weekend and Merry Christmas, for comments: eliaschipepo@gmail.com