Zambia National Team coach, Avram Grant has flown to New Zealand for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
In an attempt to prepare the Copper Queens for their debut World Cup appearance, FAZ re-enforced the technical bench with Chipolopolo physical trainer Jamie Lawrence, a video analyst as well as Lisa Cole as the technical advisor.
The FA president Andrew Kamanga also revealed that “Chipolopolo coach Avram Grant has extended his hand to the ladies’ team in the background to improve the team’s technical outlook.
Grant who has recorded a 100% winning record with the Chipolopolo Boys and helped them qualify for next year’s Africa Cup of Nations(AFCON) has since flown to New Zealand to offer technical support to coach Mwape and his team.
Grant admitted in an interview with FAZ media that the Copper Queens are in a tough group but have what it takes to win.
“What I know and what I saw, I think it’s one of the toughest groups because Spain is a fantastic team, Japan has the tradition, and there is also Costa Rica—but in football, you never know,” he stated. “With the spirit and quality that the players have, if put in the right places, the team can win the games, so it doesn’t matter that it is a tough group.”
“Tough is before the game; on the pitch, you need to compete”- Grant
The 68-year-old gaffer has urged the Copper Queens to be inspired by the Chipolopolo Boys, who defeated Ivory Coast in the AFCON qualifiers against all odds.
“We [Chipolopolo Boys] also had a tough game against Ivory Coast, and we won. Tough is before the game; on the pitch, you need to compete.”
The former Chelsea FC and Ghana National Team coach believes Mwape and his technical staff know the team better than anyone else but urged them to learn from past mistakes ahead of Saturday’s opener against Japan.
“They [Bruce Mwape’s technical bench] know the players better than me, so what I can say is that the most important thing is that they need to concentrate and learn from things that can make them better; look at the strength of the team.”
