The president of Football Association of Zambia, Andrew Kamanga, says qualifying for the 2018 World Cup after failing to qualify to the Africa Cup is an ambitious target that is achievable if there is adequate preparation and hard work.

Zambian National Team

The president while praising the caretaker coach, George Lwandamina, for having“ done a good job with the national team so far,” said it will not change anything if the expected new coach doesn’t come.

After failure to qualify to the next AfCON finals in Gabon, the Chipolopolo will be attempting a maiden appearance at the Russia 2018 finals, which many analysts have doubted. Zambia is in the same group with Nigeria, Algeria and Cameroon, three strong teams that have been to the World Cup before.

In an interview on Saturday, Kamanga said preparations for the World Cup qualifiers that begin with Nigeria at home on October 3, would continue under coach George Lwandamina.

“The current coach has done a good job thus far even at his club, so even if the new coach doesn’t come, it changes nothing. We have to prepare well, plan and that’s where we come in as an association, so, either way we have to be ready,” Kamanga said. “It’s an ambitious target after failing to qualify to the Africa Cup but we can qualify with hard work.”

He said there was no need to lose hope before the first game was played. “We can’t afford to do that, we can’t lose hope before the first game is played. The players have the belief, the coaches have the belief, why should we doubt?” Kamanga said.