Any day from now, Chipolopolo interim coach George Lwandamina is expected to announce his final squad for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Algeria later this month at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium.
Zambia is in Group I of the qualifiers with Algeria, Togo and Burundi. Their first match is on September 23 against the Desert Foxes.
Lwandamina, who recently held a training camp for locally based players, is expected to name a squad made up largely of players plying their trade outside Zambia.
But before the names are announced, one thing is almost certain: the debate will begin.
National team selection has rarely been straightforward.
Whenever a squad is released, the same questions surface: who has been left out, who should have been included, and why has a particular player made the cut?
Those conversations are likely to go into overdrive the moment Lwandamina’s squad is announced.
Who actually calls the shots when it comes to selecting players for the national team? The short answer should be, ‘the coach.’
In an ideal set-up, the head coach and his technical bench are the primary decision-makers when it comes to squad selection.
They are expected to assess players based on their current form, performances, tactical requirements and how they fit into the overall balance of the team.
The Technical Committee, meanwhile, plays a supportive and advisory role. Zambia’s seven-member committee is headed by FAZ president Keith Mweemba, who is deputised by legend Kalusha Bwalya.
The committee also includes FAZ executive committee member Chisanga Pule, former Chipolopolo international Kenneth ‘Bubble’ Malitoli, women’s representative Priscilla Katoba, former Chipolopolo coach Patrick Phiri and seasoned trainer Daniel Kabwe.
The committee can recommend players for consideration, particularly where its members believe a deserving player may have been overlooked.
But a recommendation is not a selection.
The final decision should rest with the head coach, meaning a player recommended by the Technical Committee can still be left out if the coach does not believe he fits the team’s requirements.
In simple terms, the committee can put a name on the table, but the coach should decide whether that name makes the final list.
What is your expectation of the soon-to-be-announced Chipolopolo squad?
