Zambia captain Christopher Katongo says reaching the quarterfinals will be Chipolopolo’s major task at the 2013 Africa Cup in South Africa.
Katongo said reaching the last eight was crucial to Zambia’s bid to defend the Africa Cup.
“For now we can’t talk about the Africa Cup, I am not in camp I have to see the guys before I can say that we are ready.
“But the best thing that we have to do is to go into the second round that is the first step. To defend the trophy we have to go into the second round.” Katongo said.
The African Champions are in Group C alongside Nigeria, Burkina Faso and Ethiopia.
Herve Renard’s side will launch the AFCON title defence with an encounter against Ethiopia on January 21 before facing Nigeria four days later and wrap ups group fixtures against Burkina Faso on 29 January.
Chipolopolo will begin their final phase preparations for the Africa Cup on December 26 in South Africa.
Its a pity Mr. Captain you where the weaked link in our last 3 games, you may need to step aside as the tournament toughens
Sure Katongo how can you think like that?? am dissappointed with you….yayayayayaaaaa such words coming for the captain imagine, nge mutima ninshi tapali icesu yangu.
Are you now getting scared to perform??? Losing in the quarter finals will only mean we won it via a fluke! YOU BOYS HAVE TO REACH THE SEMIS…there is no question about it…anything less then a semi/final will be deemed destiny for Chipolopolo by the so called experts…and justification why Chris is not material for African football of the year…
As captain Chris you have to carry your team and show Africa that they where wrong in dropping you from the platform…you should be annoyed Chris, you should take this personally…as an insult to your hard work…go show them fools…
Dojo Do, you are right, i like your analysis, that’s how it should be if you are champions.
Atase, haters, always …
Who can blame poor Katongo he is just being realistic and honest unlike our blind fans, who choose to ignore the flaws of the whole institutional system.
Jay jay people dont go to school with a goal of only reaching grade 8 or 10, but people go to school with a goal of graduating from college or university.so what Katongo is saying is that reaching quarter final is ok unlike having a goal to reaching the final stage and probably win the trophy again. As captain he should have courage to aim high.
Exactly but he is just being realistic what yardstick can he use since we have not had any high profile international friendlies since AFCON..mind you he is the inside man.
Its high time FAZ invested in basic PR courses for our players as they do not know how to communicate with them. It does not matter whether its English or Lozi or Bemba our players do not know how to communicate with the media. Then again this is asking too much from those empty suits in Football House.Â
Mwaiche Chris have courage to dream big and confidence to excute wilatuse banya with your thinking, maybe try to watch Ray Lewis captain for Baltimore reavens and see how much confidence he has in his leadership abilities and how he inspire his team mate to play hard and dream big, I dont know if you watch American football chris!!
Very great captain Katongo. You have shown true leadership. The expectations are realistic.
Chris should start preparing for retirement,ati 28 yr old?he looks 38 to me.
and how do you look like iwe wine? SELA ABAICHE BABOMBEKO.
#6 Mwiponta fimofimo, Is Baltimore going to Africa cup, or ni shore-off that you are more civilized than Katongo? What has American crap has to do with Katongo a soccer player.
#9Mpandamano My reference to Baltimore captain Ray Lewis is to inspire Katongo to aim high as a captain, you don’t go to tournament setting a goal of reaching quarter final thats not the way a captain should think. Mind you,people dont go to school with a goal of only reaching grade 8 or 10, but people go to school with a goal of graduating from college or university.so what Katongo is saying is that reaching quarter final is ok unlike having a goal to reaching the final stage and probably win the trophy again. As captain he should have courage to aim high. That’s my point bwana.
Ba Mwiponta MukabwelaÂ
Exactly but he is just being realistic what yardstick can he use since we have not had any high profile international friendlies since AFCON..mind you he is the inside man.
Its high time FAZ invested in basic PR courses for our national players as they do not know how to communicate with media. It does not matter whether its English or Lozi or Bemba our players do not know how to communicate with the media. Then again this is asking too much from those empty suits in Football House.Â
I will give you a yard stick…THE AFRICA CUP 2012…
So in between exams the pupil should not study as he already passed the first one with flying colours…only iron sharpens iron… practice makes perfect!!
Jay Jay…give your informed prediction then…how far will Chris and his boys go?!
Thought as much…
Will only answer that after these two upcoming friendlies are played..at this moment though we are ill prepared and I don’t see us retaining the cup.
And we are supposed to be…at the moment…the tournament is seven weeks away!
In football you have to think of the next game and prepare for it. Once the mission has been accomplished, then you prepare for one that follows and has to continue like that until the last game. This is exactly what Katongo is saying. You dont expect him to start talking about the semifinal before qualifying to the quarter final it is step by step. Katongo is right and is not a coward.
Ati African Footballer of the year… Is better to start to prepare for MP in PF 2016.
I understand captain Chintu Kampamba is the best public speaker in Chipolopolo?
Just a thuoght! Where does he practice his public speeches?
Ba jay jay my point is to go to the tournament with heads up whether you are underdogs or not, Katongo should have said that the target or goal is to defend the championship title, Not him saying the goal is to reach second round that’s B.S from the captain of championship team. With or without good friendly games Zambian team should be thinking of defending championship. Egypt and other countries have done this before,its tough but you have to strive.
Spot on katongo u always inspire me with your sense of focus, please prove your point again on the pitch as you have one before, and let the critics do the talking.
The captain is right. Even winning the English League, every coach will say “We shall take a game at a time and at the end we shall see”. His comments are exactly in those lines. The problem with us Zambians is that we follow football on our laptops and desk tops and not with the passion it deserves. I want to challenge some of us clever soccer analysts: How many of us have been to watch a training session of our National Team!!!
A training session is just that….Â
For a soccer fan a team can not win a tournament involving a min of two games by fluke only soccer cadres think so … Zambia never won by fluke … surely it bet the best ranked three teams/giants at the competion … rarely do one team meet three giants ranked 1,2, & 3 (IC, Ghana & Senegal) in one breath … lets be realistic and siimply thank GOD for the great victories set to happen with focus in 2013 Jan … GOD bless ZAmbia .. even more
My brother you are sooooo right The AFCON isn’t won in one game. U first qualify,(unless u r the hosts) play the league, the quarter semi and final. You can’t fluke your way all the way. Those who say any team won such a tournament by fluke simply don’t think.
JACOB MULENGA HAS JUST SCORED A LOVELY WINNING GOAL…
The guy is sensible but hasty bloggers want to show they are more committed than the soldier on the battlefront. He is saying first target, does that sink into you armchair critics’ heads? How can you have winning the final as your first target? That is Jumping the gun. One step at a time