Former Zambia assistant coach Irfan Kawri believes he could be the man to end the Chipolopolo’s wait to reach a maiden World Cup.
The 2012 African champions have taken part in 13 qualifying campaigns for international football’s showpiece, and are one of the most high-profile African nations never to have reached the grandest stage of all.
Indeed, the only other African Cup of Nations winners not to have reached the Mundial are Sudan, Ethiopia and Congo-Brazzaville – all of whom won the continental championship before 1973.
Ex-Clitheroe assistant coach and current Queens Park Rangers scout Kawri, who was part of Zambia’s coaching staff between December 2015 to May 2016, believes he could be the man to end the wait.
“It would be a dream come true for me to manage Zambia and one day help take them to a World Cup,” Kawri told KweseESPN. “I’m confident with the right people around me, and the right preparations and conditions, we could do it.
“I respect whoever the head coach is as I support the team and want the best for them at all times,” he continued. “However, having been an assistant myself I know as a nation we can do things better.
“We need a clear vision, structure, philosophy and ethos coming that everyone buys into, not just coaches and players of the senior team, but all the youth teams, and administration and executive committee staff as well.
“We need synergy throughout.”
Wedson Nyirenda’s Zambia acquitted themselves well during the qualification campaign for the 2018 event in Russia, but fell short after being pitted into the ‘Group of Death’.
The Copper Bullets were always up against it after being drawn along with Nigeria, Algeria and Cameroon, although they nonetheless took eight points and secured back-to-back wins over Les Fennecs.
Kawri believes that he has the required qualities to help Zambia end their World Cup woe and to finally qualify for the big one, but believes that improved organisation during training could be the simple difference-maker for the COSAFA heavyweights.
Notably, he believes that it wouldn’t take too much to improve Zambia’s defence, which conceded seven in six qualifying matches, more than any of the teams who did reach Russia.
“When I was assistant I did most of the training leading into the African Nations Championship to help prepare the team,” he added. “I did a lot of phases of play, working on team shape and organisation in possession and out of possession and getting players to make the right decisions in transition.
“Senior players, including ex-AFCON 2012 winners, told me this is the training we needed and felt they were more organised,” he concluded. “We ended up with the best defensive record in the CHAN, and only lost on penalties in the quarter final.”
Zambia have been drawn alongside Mozambique, Guinea-Bissau and Namibia in their AFCON 2019 qualifying group.
KweséESPN
Someone is looking for a job.
Wedson is doing a splendid job. But thanks for your expression of interest.
WEDSON IS GOING TO SPAIN FOR FURTHER TRAINING SO THERE WILL BE A NEED FOR A NEW COACH.
Wedson lacks the skills: “organisation in possession and out of possession and getting players to make the right decisions in transition”, Irfan Kawri. Especially when face to face with the goal post. That is why we lost out. He needs improvement in that otherwise the status quo.
Where do I come from? I never heard of him at Chipolopolo. I think the fact that he thinks about taking us to the world cup he could just do it. Besides Wada is job hunting, His heart is not there. I think bene Wada are the kind that tell the players ati, “…mwaiche wamumona Victor Moses, wa bola mwaiche…” If qualify to the World Cup has been in the plans we are real failures. We need a guy like Renard who gave the boys self belief regardless who they faced. We have everything except self esteem (I mean the players…). Otherwise we should be placed to qualify from Asia.
This “Ifwanka fwanka” is a chancer mega style!!
Zambias current under 20 African Champions once they come of age, WILL QUALIFY FOR THE WORLD CUP, unless something goes horribly wrong.
All Ifwanka fwanka wants is to ride on their coat tails, & then springboard his coaching credentials in Europe & elsewhere as “The Coach who qualified Zambia to her first World Cup” & after jobs will be easy to get in Europe.
He’s trying to do a Herve Renard, on the sly, difference being Renard is the genuine article.
Ifwanka, go & make South Sudan qualify, then I WILL TAKE YOU SERIOUSLY!!
If we were to go for a foreign manager, I would go with Darren Moore, current manager of relegated West Bromwich Albion, if he accepts the job.
This guy has the credentials, & had West Bromwich hired him earlier West Bromwich would still be in the Premiership, not na fwanka Kabili abo, who’s done nothing in football
Another one who the great Galu short changed with working for free….
HaHaHaHa
This guy ran away half way into his contract citing personal problems back home. Why does he want to come back and who can trust him now?
I like the way he talks. He reminds me of Grabowski and Ted Dumitru when we hired them. They were so confident the fans were impressed and turned up in big numbers for Zambia’s games
No jokers this time enough of experiments.
True it’s time for change.
Wedson is doing nothing along his favourite player Alex ngonga.
HE HE HE!!! KOMA ZILIKO. AFTER ALL THAT SELF-MARKETING, AT THE TIME WHEN CHIPOLOPOLO NEEDS A COACH, WHAT DOES FAZ DO?
Wedson is the worst national team coach zambia has ever produced and the worst headboy chingola secondary has ever produced. The problem with him is that he doesn’t listen to any advice and he thinks he knows it all, he is the only zambian who can beat HH in that area. he is simply arrogant and i tell arrogant is an understatement.