The 66-year-old former national team coach believes the country still needs his services and it will be an honour if he will be considered to return to the national team.
Phiri becomes the third local coach to express interest to take up the job after Wedson Nyirenda and George Lwandamina.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with BOLA NEWS on Thursday afternoon, Phiri emphasized the need to put the nation first before the money.
“Allowance and remunerations are on the other side, what is important is good service delivery once called upon. When you get a chance of coaching the national team it’s an opportunity to render a service to the country,” he said.
Phiri has also advised his fellow local coaches to raise the bar by ensuring they produce results in order to be trusted with the national team.
“We need to raise the bar of football in our country to be respected as local coaches.”
Phiri who twice served as national team coach from 2002-2003 and 2006-2008 has massive experience having also had stints at multiple clubs outsides the country as head coach.
The former Green Buffaloes and Lusaka dynamos coach who once played for the national team and also represented Zambia at the 1978 and 1982 African Cup of Nations tournament believes he can bring back the glory days of the Chipolopolo.
Phiri is best remembered for his contribution during the 1999 FIFA Under-20 World Cup when he qualified Zambia for its first-ever appearance at the global youth football showpiece held in Nigeria, the same year he was voted Zambian coach of the Year.
He was also in charge of Zambia national team at the 2008 African Cup of Nations in Ghana where the Chipolopolo failed to go beyond the group stage after only one win against Sudan and losing twice to Egypt and Cameroon.
The Chipolopolo top job fell vacant after the resignation of Croatian trainer Aljosa Asanovic over alleged contractual breaches by FAZ.
The football Association of Zambia(FAZ) last Sunday announced in a statement that it will soon engage government and other stakeholders on the next step with regards to hiring a new coach for the Chipolopolo boys before the third round of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers resume in March next year and local coaches are lining up for the job.
