Zesco United FC will not be continuing with club legend Winston Kalengo, who led the team in an interim capacity after stepping in to fill the void left by Emmanuel Siwale.
The club has published a vacancy that outlines the profile of the man or maybe woman they want to lead them.
Among the key requirements is a minimum CAF A Licence, immediately narrowing the pool of eligible candidates.
The obvious question now is whether Zesco will once again test the local market or cast its net beyond Zambia’s borders.
The club’s preferred option was George Lwandamina. However, the experienced coach committed his future to Nchanga Rangers, leaving Zesco to reassess their options.
That could push the Ndola giants towards a growing list of experienced but unattached local coaches.
Former Zanaco coach Dan Kabwe remains available, having been away from coaching for a while now.
Mwenya Chipepo, who has accumulated experience in the domestic game, is another coach who fits the qualification criteria. Could they try him out?
Former Chipolopolo trainer Honour Janza also remains without a club, bringing with him continental experience that few local coaches can match.
Former national team technical director Lyson Zulu has a CAF; could they gamble on him? Who knows.
Former Green Eagles coach Alex Namazaba’s availability also makes him a potential candidate should Zesco decide to stay local.
Zesco’s ambitions may ultimately determine the direction they take.
The club has rarely hidden its desire to compete not only for domestic honours but also to make a deeper impact in CAF inter-club competitions.
That objective could persuade management to look outside Zambia for a coach with broader continental experience.
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