Zambia coach Sven Vandenbroeck is taking charge of his first training camp of local players in Lusaka ahead of September’s 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifying trip to Namibia.
After starting their qualifying campaign on a 1-0 losing note to Mozambique, Vandenbroeck’s immediate task is to save Zambia’s bid to book a ticket for the Afcon finals to be staged in Cameroon.
The three-day camp with 23 players began on Monday, and does not involve Zesco United players who were excused to focus on Friday’s Caf Champions League match in Angola.
Former Lusaka Dynamos midfielder Cletus Chama has also been left out after recently completing a move to Tanzania giants Simba.
“It is not a definitive list, because I will have more than one camp. I will try to make a pool of 30 to 35 players. From there we will go to 23,” Vandenbroeck said at a press briefing in Lusaka.
“The focus for the camp is to get to know each other. It will be not a physical camp. There is no use for that because in three days we cannot improve them physically. I want to see their intelligence, their awareness of space and their technical skills.
“The list I made is also based on dominant game. I don’t like players who just have to wait in their positions. They have to show me initiative and dominance.”
The camp comes after Vandenbroeck said he had watched 13 Zambian Super League games from where he selected the players.
They will fight for places with some foreign-based players who will be drafted into the squad for the trip to Namibia.
Guinea-Bissau complete Group K from which Zambia hopes to finish at least on second spot to qualify for Cameroon 2019.
ZAMBIA SQUAD
GOALKEEPERS: Charles Muntanga (Nkwazi), Lawrence Mulenga (Power Dynamos), Mangani Banda (Zanaco)
DEFENDERS: Gideon Sichone (Green Buffaloes), Gift Zulu (Nkana), Benson Sakala, Allan Kamwanga (Power Dynamos), Lawrence Chungu, Isaac Shamujompa (Buildcon), Mwila Phiri (Lusaka Dynamos), Laison Thole (Kabwe Warriors)
MIDFIELDERS: Linos Makwaza, Larry Bwalya (Power Dynamos), Mike Katiba, Fellon Sitonya, Jack Chirwa (Green Buffaloes), Kelvin Kampamba, Jacob Ngulube (Nkana), Collins Sikombe (Lusaka Dynamos), Charles Zulu (Zanaco)
STRIKERS: Brian Mwila (Buildcon), Alex Ng’onga (Power Dynamos)
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