Football
Exclusive: “I Gave them My Philosophy”- Avram Grant Reacts to FAZ Convention on Playing Philosophy
Zambia's national team coach, Avram Grant, shares insights on presenting his football philosophy to the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) and discusses his vision for building a winning Chipolopolo team
Image Credits: Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images
Zambia's national team coach, Avram Grant, has said that he presented his playing philosophy with the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ), and he is now waiting for them to reveal what they developed following the convention held in Lusaka last month.
FAZ CONVENTION’S OBJECTIVE
In an effort to rekindle Zambia's glory days, FAZ held a three-day convention for experts at Mika Lodge to brainstorm and develop a Zambian football philosophy with the aim of winning the AfCON again and qualifying for a maiden FIFA World Cup.
The expert group included veteran former national team coaches Patrick Phiri, Wedson Nyirenda, George Lwandamina, Danny Kabwe, Beston Chambeshi, University of Zambia philosophers, football administrators, and journalists.
“This initiative is not just about ideas but about forging the intellectual backbone of our nation. As you are all aware, football is a complex sport that demands a unique blend of skills and abilities,” FAZ president Andrew Kamanga explained the motive behind the conference.
He added: “While natural talent undoubtedly plays a role, reaching the pinnacle of the game requires more than just flare. What we are gathered here for this morning is therefore an important step that will help us respect and determine who we are, who we aspire to be, and the values we wish to pass on to future generations.”
GRANT’S REACTION
In an exclusive interview with SportsBoom.com, Grant revealed that, “I gave them [FAZ] my philosophy, and we had a presentation for the coaches and everything. But I am still waiting for them to give me their philosophy.”
“I shared with them about the trainings, about the way of playing, about mentality. It's a combination of a few things that you need to develop. I think the new philosophy needs to answer the main question—how will I do that?
There are two questions that I say to the players: first, why are we pressing high? I give them the answer, and the second is how we'll do it on the pitch and in the training. So for me, it's more interesting how they will implement this philosophy. This is the key, by the way.
Avram Grant
GRANT DISCUSSES FUTURE WITH ZAMBIA
While he waits for the new playing philosophy to be provided to him for implementation with the national team, Grant expressed his desire to stay as Zambia's coach.
"I am happy to be here; I am happy to do my job; if I was unhappy, I would leave. But I have targets that I want to achieve, first by building a good team, and if I don't think I'll be able to meet them, I can leave."
Grant signed a two-year performance-based contract with FAZ in December 2022, with targets of qualifying the Chipolopolo for the 2023 AfCON and the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
He has achieved one goal and hopes to lead Zambia to their first World Cup and extend his contract despite having already lost two games in the qualifiers for the global showpiece.
FOCUS IS ON CHIPOLOPOLO
The former Ghana national team coach believes that what the players perform on the pitch is more important right now, and that is where he will focus while waiting for FAZ's philosophy.
“The most important thing is what you do on the pitch; any philosophy is good, but we need to follow the players like I do [and make them understand how we want to play right now],” he said.
“Again, I ask her how they will develop [the philosophy] and how we will do it. I think we have a lot to learn. We have a lot to learn.”
Calvin Kaumba Chikenge is a renowned multimedia sports journalist from Zambia, known for his in-depth reporting and captivating feature stories. With eight years of experience in the field, he has built a reputation for telling unique stories that resonate with audiences both locally and globally. His talent and dedication were recognised when he was named the 2023/24 MTN/FAZ Super League Journalist of the Year, highlighting his outstanding contributions to sports journalism in Zambia.