By SANDRA MWILA –
HONOUR Janza says the three remaining players, among them captain Stoppila Sunzu, must join the Chipolopolo camp before Zambia plays South Africa in a preparatory match for them to be assessed and considered for the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) finals.
Sunzu, who last week ditched FC Sochaux for a reported US$3 million move to Chinese giants Shanghai Greenland Shenhua, and the Israel based duo of Evans Kangwa and Emmanuel Mbola are yet to join the squad.
Confederation of Africa Football (CAF) allows for a team to release a player two weeks before the tournament starts with the latest date being the weekend of January 3 and 4 when Zambia will be playing South Africa at Orlando Stadium in Johannesburg.
But Janza said in an interview from Johannesburg yesterday that it will be tricky to assess the players if they won’t join camp before the friendly as it will be difficult to monitor them.
He said he wants to pick the final team based on the players performance and not names.
“If the three miss the friendly then it will be tricky to assess them and include them in the final team. The technical bench will have to make some decisions regarding their participation but we wait and see,” he said.
Janza was, however, hopeful that the trio would be able to make camp before the match on Sunday.
He said the match against South Africa will not be used as a benchmark but instead to help the coaching bench assess the team weakness and strengths before the AFCON finals.
“It will be a good preparatory game looking at the way Bafana Bafana performed during the qualifiers and playing them is what the players need. I believe the match will give the players momentum as we prepare for such a big tournament,” he said.
Janza expressed happiness with the player’s response to training saying morale was high with every player giving his best especially that they know that only 23 players will be picked.
“Selecting the final 23 players will not be much of a headache because they are performing well. It would have been a challenge if they were playing below par but they are determined and fighting for places, which is a good thing,” he said.
Meanwhile, Janza has wished Zambians a happy new year and thanked the fans for their support rendered to the team during the qualifiers.
“Let me wish every Zambian a Happy New Year and thank them for the support rendered during the qualifiers last year. It won’t be easy at the AFCON but there is need to work together to achieve the results,” he said.
Zambia is in Group B with two former winners Tunisia and DR Congo while Cape Verde are the only ones yet to win the continental trophy.
The full provisional squad has goalkeepers Danny Munyau (Red Arrows), Kennedy Mweene (Mamelodi Sundowns-South Africa), Toaster Nsabata (Nchanga Rangers) and Joshua Titima (Power Dynamos).
Defenders Donashano Malama and Christopher Munthali (Nkana), Bronson Chama (Red Arrows), Stopilla Sunzu (FC Sochaux), Aaron Katebe (Platinum FC-Zimbabwe), Emmanuel Mbola (Hapoel Ra’anana), Davies Nkausu (SuperSport) and Rodrick Kabwe (Zanaco).
Midfielders are Nathan Sinkala (Grasshopper-Switzerland), Chisamba Lungu (FC Ural-Russia), Mukuka Mulenga (Bloemfontein Celtic-South Africa), Kondwani Mtonga (North East United-India), Spencer Sautu (Napsa Stars), Rainford Kalaba (TP Mazambe-DR Congo), Bruce Musakanya (Red Arrows) and Lubambo Musonda (Ulisses-Armenia).
Ronald ‘Sate Sate’ Kampamba (Nkana), Evans Kangwa (Hapoel Ra’anana), Given Singuluma (TP Mazembe), Emmanuel Mayuka (Southampton England), Jackson Mwanza (Zesco United), Patrick Ngoma (Red Arrows) and James Chamanga (Liaoning Whowin-China) are the strikers.