Eight days to go: Avram Grant: CHAN a launchpad for Zambia’s next generation
Zambia head coach Avram Grant believes the 2024 TotalEnergies African Nations Championship (CHAN) represents more than just a tournament — it’s a strategic platform to fast-track the development of the country’s local-based footballers.
With Zambia drawn in a challenging Group A alongside co-hosts Kenya, North African heavyweights Morocco, Angola and two-time champions DR Congo, Grant is focusing on internal growth rather than external threats.
The former Chelsea and Ghana boss insists that CHAN serves as a critical tool for long-term progress in Zambian football.
“At the moment, we are preparing well because CHAN is very important for us. We don’t have many players in Europe like other countries who have lots of their first team players abroad. For us, we mostly use players who play locally, and we have already shown what we can do—like when we beat Ivory Coast,” he said.
Grant, who has spent the last year identifying and nurturing talent across the Zambian Premier League, stressed that the CHAN is not just about silverware but also about scouting and shaping the future national team core.
“Normally, this tournament gives us an opportunity to see more players for the first team, which is good for creating competition,” he added.
Despite facing strong opposition in the group stage, Grant’s approach remains steady — focusing on Zambia’s game model and individual player development.
“In this competition, we will concentrate more on our team and its development to see who gets promoted to the first team. Of course, we can only do that when we have a winning mentality like we’ve shown in the past,” he said.
“For CHAN, I don’t think the opponent is important. What’s key for us is to play as a team and show that winning mentality.”
The Israeli tactician, who took Zambia to the quarter-finals of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, underlined the vital role CHAN plays in providing exposure to domestic talent.
“CHAN is like a tool for us. Our main national team is composed of local players. We have a tough group, but that will help us grow in such an environment,” he explained.
With several young players set to feature in the upcoming tournament, Grant is confident that the experience will be invaluable for their development.
“For the young players, this is a chance to grow and mature. They still need a bit of guidance and polishing, but I’m sure we will achieve a good tournament with them.”
Zambia’s preparations have been quietly impressive, with the team stringing together a series of strong performances in recent warm-up matches.
“We will do our best because over the last few games, we’ve shown good football and a lot of improvement. We’ve kept four clean sheets in a row. Now we are facing a different challenge and want to continue improving these players. This is the target.”
Zambia’s CHAN campaign, therefore, carries a dual objective — to compete with pride and resilience, and more importantly, to lay the foundation for a stronger Chipolopolo in years to come.