Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) President Andrew Kamanga has welcomed the appointment of experienced coach Avram Grant to lead Chipolopolo, and believes the latter can take the team “to the next level”.

Grant was appointed last week, with his first competitive assignment being March’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, where Zambia will face home and away ties against fellow COSAFA side Lesotho.

“We unveiled the new Chipolopolo coach, Mr Avram Grant whose appointment has been warmly welcomed across the football landscape,” Kamanga said in his weekly note via FAZ. “More than just the positive vibes his appointment has created, we are more confident that his solid credentials will spur the Chipolopolo to the next level.

“He also has a fair appreciation of the demands of the job he has taken up. With the help of local coaches and one of his chosen foreign gaffers, we believe that the national teams will be in safe hands.

“With the next round of Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers coming up in March, we believe that there is enough time to refine a few things to put the Chipolopolo in good stead for the back-to-back assignments against Lesotho.

“We can only appeal to the public to support the new technical bench so that they can fully focus on the assignment at hand. Government has already provided a clear roadmap for supporting not just the Chipolopolo but other national teams through the Memorandum of Understanding between them and FAZ. Things can only get better from here.”