By SANDRA MWILA –
FORMER South African coach Gordon Igesund who was interviewed two days ago, has emerged as front runner for the Chipolopolo job.
Igesund is said to have lived up to the top billing of the Zambian officials when they interviewed him as he impressed the Football Association ofZambia (FAZ) interviewing panel.
Igesund left the interviewing panel believing in him after he outlined his vision for Zambian football in the close to two hours interview at Football House on Friday.
The interviewing panel comprised among others veteran coach Fred Mwila senior, soccer commentator Iva Lengwe, FAZ executive members Blackwell Siwale,Joseph Mulenga,technical committee member John Moyo and general secretary Ponga Liwewe.
According to reliable source, Igesund seemed well prepared for the interview and outlined how he would improve the dwindling standards of football in the country if employed.
“I hear Igesund really impressed the interviewing panel, he has a lot of  knowledge on Zambian football .He explained his vision for Zambian football so well and what he would do once employed,”the sources said.
Igesund is a holder of the UEFA-A coaching License and has experience at both club and national team levels in South Africa and his last posting was at Moroka Swallows in South Africa.
Apart from coaching Bafana Bafana, he has coached Orlando Pirates, Mamelodi Sundowns, Swallows, Santos, Manning Rangers, Supersport United and Ajax Cape Town among others.
And the number of shortlisted candidates for the Chipolopolo job has dramatically shot from the five announced by FAZ to six with the remaining three set to be interviewed this week.
Raoul Savoy of Switzerland is expected to be interviewed on Tuesday with all four to be interviewed next week.
“Next week FAZ will interview four coaches, two on Tuesday and the remaining on Wednesday,” the source said.
Frenchman Sebastein Desabre who coaches in Algeria has already been interviewed for the Chipolopolo job.
FAZ has set a target to employ an expatriate coach before the 2018 World cup qualifiers kick off in October.