MOROCCO HAVE BETTER PLAYERS THAN ZAMBIA ON PAPER, BUT ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE- AVRAM GRANT
MOROCCO HAVE BETTER PLAYERS THAN ZAMBIA ON PAPER, BUT ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE- AVRAM GRANT
Lusaka, 28 May 2024 – Chipolopolo coach Avram Grant has acknowledged that the Atlas Lions of Morocco possess stronger players than Zambia on paper, ahead of their upcoming clash at Grand Stadium in Agadir on June 7, 2024. Despite the apparent disparity in team strength, Grant remains optimistic about Zambia’s prospects, emphasizing the unpredictability of football and the importance of effort.
“Look, I will not lie to you or the players; in any position on paper, they are better than us,” Grant told the ZamFoot Crew. “The same was true with Ivory Coast, and we have seen many instances like this in football. I believe anything can happen if we keep harmony on and off the pitch. It’s not the first time in my life that the chances are not in my favor.”
Following the Morocco match, Zambia will host the Taifa Stars of Tanzania in Ndola on June 12, 2024. Grant praised both upcoming opponents, noting Tanzania’s impressive intensity and recent improvements. Reflecting on their previous encounters during the AFCON tournament, he highlighted the challenges faced and lessons learned.
“Against Tanzania, we need to remember that we had a red card, yet we played fantastic. Tanzania is a very good team because of their intensity, one of the best I have ever seen, and they have improved a lot,” Grant said. “Against Morocco, it was our best game since I have been here, but they are a very good team. They scored one goal, and it was the first game since I came here that we did not score.”
Grant expressed confidence in his team’s ability to learn from these experiences. “We will analyze the two games, and I think it’s an advantage that we already played them. We need to see what we can do better, but we need to remember that against Morocco it’s their home and against Tanzania it’s our home.”
Additionally, Grant revealed ongoing efforts to strengthen the squad by scouting players with Zambian roots playing in higher-level leagues. “We are now in the process of checking because we want the players who play in better leagues. We have a list of players with Zambian roots, including a player belonging to Manchester City,” he said.
While Grant is pleased with the team’s progress, having achieved their first target of qualifying for AFCON after nine years, he stressed the importance of continuous improvement. “We have made a stable team, always giving chances to players. There are definitely things we need to improve, and we will continue to do so.”
©Nkani Online 2024