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The Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) has announced the hiring of Chelsea’s former coach, Avram Grant as the new manager of the Chipolopolo of Zambia.
Grant, 67, arrived in the African country the day before he was hired.
Some 100 candidates vied for the position, including some who had coached the national team in the past.
The selection panel was made up of government officials, Zambian coaches, and members of the local association, the network said. His candidacy was mediated by agent Nir Karin. According to channel 12.
The Israeli signed a two-year-deal with the football federation with an option of extension if he does well.
Grant said that he was looking forward to tinkering the Chipolopolo of Zambia to greater heights after landing the job.
Grant made this known after he was being unveiled to the public via a press conference in Lusaka the capital of Zambia on Thursday.
The former Chelsea boss said, “I was looking for the right challenge and that is why I chose Zambia.
“I came here because of the challenge, and I hope when I leave here, I’ll look around and say we did a good job and made a good foundation for the future.
“I think Zambia has the potential. We’ve set the targets of what we want to achieve.”
Grant led Chelsea to the 2008 UEFA Champions League final, losing on penalties to Premier League rival, Manchester United.
Grant was Israel’s national soccer team coach in 2002-2006, but under him the country did not qualify for the UEFA European Championships in 2004 or the World Cup in 2006.
The Israeli gaffer also tinkered some football clubs in the country.
As a coach in Israel, he took four teams to victory in national leagues, twice with Maccabi Haifa and twice with Maccabi Tel Aviv.