‘I Didn’t Come Here to Prove a Point’ – Sichone Responds to Critics

Chipolopolo coach Moses Sichone said he did not go to the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) to prove a point to anyone.

Zambia endured another disappointing tournament, exiting at the group stage after a 1–1 draw with Mali, a 0–0 stalemate against Comoros, and a 3–0 defeat to hosts Morocco.

Sichone was appointed head coach in November last year, succeeding Avram Grant, who parted ways with the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) in October following a string of poor results that saw Zambia fail to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The 48-year-old faced criticism from fans over his tactics, but when asked about those questioning his competence, the former Chipolopolo defender was clear:

“I didn’t come here to prove a point to anyone, so I came here when I was given the opportunity to coach this team. So if people are only judging a coach through the results, they should also think about the way the team has been planned,” he said during a press conference in Casablanca.

Trust the process – Sichone

Sichone also urged patience and trust in the team’s rebuilding process.

“You cannot just immediately plant maize and then tomorrow you expect to start harvesting; it’s a process. So that’s how it is in football.”

Having spent most of his professional career in Germany with clubs such as FC Köln and Augsburg, Sichone served as Grant’s assistant coach from 2022 until his promotion to head coach.

He was part of the technical bench at the last AFCON in Ivory Coast and represented Zambia as a player at the 2000 and 2002 editions of the tournament.

Sichone began his coaching career in 2013 with Alemannia Aachen in Germany, working with the youth teams until 2017. He later served as FAZ’s Technical Director from 2017 to 2018 before taking charge of FC Rhenania Lohn between 2019 and 2020. From 2020 to 2022, he coached Viktoria Köln’s Under-17 side.

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