2012 AFCON winner James Chamanga has added his voice to the growing debate over the future of the Chipolopolo technical bench, calling for the appointment of a local coach to guide the national team going forward.
Speaking in an interview carried by Zambia Daily Mail, Chamanga — one of Zambia’s most respected football veterans — stressed that sustainable progress can only be achieved through continuity and trust in homegrown technical leadership.
“We need to have a project,” said Chamanga.
“If the coach is going to be here, he has to be consistent with the players for a couple of years for them to improve and to adapt to his system.”
He argued that Zambia’s frequent changes in coaches — particularly foreign appointments with short-term mandates — have hindered growth rather than accelerated it.
“If we are going to be changing coaches the way we are changing and not sticking to our local coaches, we will not improve,” he continued.
“Our local coaches are the ones who understand the culture of our Zambian game, so we need to give them time. Let us trust our process, also of our local coaches.”
A Timely Reminder Amid Calls for Change
Chamanga’s comments come at a time when public confidence in the current foreign-led setup is rapidly declining following a disappointing FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign.
While debates continue over whether Avram Grant should stay or go, Chamanga shifts the conversation from personalities to principle — What kind of football identity does Zambia want?
He believes the answer lies not in expensive foreign solutions, but in trusting Zambian coaches with long-term authority and support.
Final Thought
Whether FAZ will heed this advice remains to be seen. But one thing is clear — when legends like Chamanga speak, the nation listens. And his message is simple:
If Zambia wants to rebuild, it must first believe in its own.
