Following the fall out between the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) and Chipolopolo coach Aljoša Asanović, former Germany Bundesliga’s FC köln defensive midfilder Moses Sichone will take charge of the Zambia national team in the abscence of the Croatian gaffer.
FAZ confirmed on Wednesday morning in a statement that the coach has not yet reported for duty since Zambia’s 1-0 home loss to Mozambique on July 30, 2022, in the African Nations Championship(CHAN) qualifiers which led to the Chipolopolo boys’ early elimination from the competition in the first round.
The Association further revealed that the Chipolopolo boys who are currently in camp in Bamako ahead of their back-to-back friendly matches against Mali will be coached by the local assistant coaches led by Sichone.
The 47-year-old former FC köln player who possesses a UEFA A coaching license was this year in May appointed as assistant coach to Asanović which saw him join the Chipolopolo technical bench in Ghana ahead of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier match against Ivory Coast.
Sichone began his career at Chambishi before moving to Nchanga Rangers where he won the Zambian Super League with the Chingola-based club in 1998 and later in 2001 moved to three-times Bundesliga champions FC Koln where he made 23 appearances in the Germany topflight league.
He later moved to another German club, Alemannia Aachen and made 21 more appearances in the Bundesliga as well as scored his first goal in that league which came against VFB Stuttgart in a 3-1 loss in 2007.
Sichone has in the past coached German youth clubs at Alemannia Aachen from 2015 to 2017 and Rhenania Lohn from 2018 to 2019. He was until his appointment as an assistant coach to Asanović, a head coach of the Viktoria Koln under-17 side in Germany.
The one-time Zambia national team captain also played for the Chipolopolo boys from 1998-2005 which includes three Africa Cup of Nations appearances in 1998, 2000 and 2002 as well as served as FAZ Technical Director from December 2017-2018.
He has now travelled with the National team to Mali for the two friendly matches against that country slated for 23rd and 26th September 2022.
