Zambia Under-17 head coach Ian Bakala has revealed that about eight players who were triumphant in the Region 5 Championship have been dropped ahead of the 2023 Algeria Under-17 Africa Cup of Nations.
The U-17 AFCON will be held in Algeria from 29 April – 19 May 2023 and the junior Chipolopolo are in Group B alongside South Africa, Nigeria, and Morocco.
Bakala is yet to name his final squad for the tournament and is currently drilling 26 players in camp.
The revealed that of the 26 players in camp, eight have not made his final squad. He made the revelation after the All Stars versus the Rest match played last Tuesday at Nkoloma Stadium.
Bakala told the press that new players have since been added to the team in camp.
He explained that the decision will offer more options to the technical bench and bring diversity to the squad.
“The guys are looking good. We have got 26 players, of which two will have to remain,” Bakala said. “Some were shaky but I think there is an improvement this time. In Malawi we didn’t have much options than this time, I think it will be 50-50 in each position. The players were have to adjust to what we went.”
“It was good for us (The All Stars vs The Rest Match) because we saw options in those players, of which we selected a number of players to compete with the other guys.”
Bakala sets World Cup qualification as the ultimate target
The gaffer also said that the players from the rest showed ‘hunger’ to be part of the final squad.
“From the team which went to Malawi, we dropped eight (players). The players who were on the rest looked better than those we were with in Malawi, it was good for us to balance up the team,” he stated.
Bakala also stated that the preparations have intensified but the team needs to play international friendly matches before the tournament.
“The preparations are going well despite time. We just need to play an international friendly match though we are still waiting ( for confirmation),” Bakala disclosed.
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The Region 5 winning coach has set qualification for the FIFA U17 World Cup as the team’s top priority.
“The first objective is to qualify to the World Cup, then fight for the Africa Cup,” Bakala said. “I think the preparations and objective we want, we are going to achieve it…… Because every time we are training, there’s an improvement from players.”
Zambia will be making a second appearance at the U-17 Africa Cup since making their debut in 2015 when they were eliminated in the group stage.
The Boys will start their campaign on 30th April 2023 against Nigeria as the two sides renew their rivalry after facing off in the 2015 edition.
