Avram Grant is synonymous with near misses when it comes to the Africa Cup of Nations (AfCON) title. Twice he has stood on the cusp of AfCON glory with Ghana, only to be cruelly denied at the final hurdle.
Now, with Zambia as his chariot, the Israeli embarks on a third quest for continental glory, leaving many to wonder: can he finally exorcise the ghosts of past failures and claim the trophy?
In 2015, Grant took Ghana to the brink of their first AfCON title since 1982 but it was not meant to be as they suffered a heartbreaking penalty shootout defeat against Ivory Coast in the final.
At the 2015 tournament, his side started out on a slow note, losing 2 – 1 to Senegal before picking up momentum in victories over Algeria and South Africa to top Group C with six points.
Then came identical 3-0 wins over Guinea and Equatorial Guinea in the quarterfinal and semi-final, respectively, before the heartbreak of losing 9-8 on post-match penalties in the final against Herve Renard’s Ivory Coast.
This was after the two teams tied scoreless after 120 minutes of football.
Two years later, with Ghana once again under his wing, Grant fell short. This time in the semi-finals, when they succumbed 2-0 to eventual champions Cameroon. The disappointment among Ghanaians was palpable.
Grant carrying hopes of million Zambians
Fast forward to the future: he stands and knocks on the AfCON door again, this time guiding an inexperienced Chipolopolo side full of players who have only watched the AfCON on TV.
Given Grant’s undiminished managerial stock and his record since he got the Zambia job, there is a lot of optimism among Zambians as the hour of reckoning draws near.
There may still be some areas for improvement, but Chipolopolo has been a decent force under Grant, winning five matches, drawing one, and losing two.
Grant has instilled a winning mentality and a never-say-die attitude in the team. This has had some Zambians getting ahead of themselves and dreaming of a first AfCON title since 2012.
The weight of expectation from some Zambians and Grant’s own desire to finally lift the AfCON after two failed attempts is a heavy burden to bear.
Luckily, Grant is a seasoned campaigner; his CV suggests that he is a man who thrives in high-pressure environments. Those gifted with technical brains have praised his tactical acumen. They have said his ability to motivate players and his belief in his own methods could be the difference-makers.
Serie A winger Lameck Banda told BolaNews, “Avram Grant has changed football in Zambia. How we approach every game is different and I believe can achieve great things with him.”
When asked about his target at the AfCON, Grant told reporters in Lusaka that “I don’t like setting targets.”
READ MORE: Avram Grant explains why Zambians should be realistic about AFCON targets
Zambia’s AfCON group stage opponents—Morocco, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Tanzania’s Taifa Stars—present a stern test but not an insurmountable one.
I believe Grant has players that can help him navigate through the group stages. Beyond that, the knockout rounds will demand more. As to whether he can overcome the ghosts of past AfCON title failures? That’s for the football gods to tell.
