Slightly 25 years after he hogged the headlines with match-winning brace in the 2-1 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) win for Nigeria against Zambia, former Super Eagles winger Emmanuel Amuneke is confident he can help the Chipolopolo conquer the continent if given the nod to take over the reins of the team.
The Zambian national team job has been vacant since March after the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) failed to renew the contract of Belgian coach Sven Vandenbroeck following Chipolopolo’s failure to qualify for the 2019 AFCON in Egypt.
Zambia Daily Mail reported yesterday that Amuneke is among a motley crowd of over 50 coaches that met Monday’s deadline for applicants willing to take over the vacant Chipolopolo’s managerial job.
“I’m the type of coach that is open to new challenges,” Amuneke, the 1994 African Footballer of the Year who made history last year by qualifying Tanzania for the AFCON after 39 years, told NationSport from his base in Santander.“ When I took the Tanzanian job, nobody gave us the chance to qualify for the AFCON in Egypt.
“As a coach, I constantly evaluate myself and position myself. As a player, I have done everything I needed to do and now I have to create my own story as a coach too.
“I’m open to challenges because without challenges nobody can progress. Without mistakes, you can never learn and you won’t know what you are capable of doing.
“I’m not afraid and I’m not limiting myself to coaching jobs in Nigeria and I’m ready to take any coaching job where I can establish my own ideas.”
The 48-year-old Amuneke who is a holder of the UEFA Pro License and CAF A License led Nigeria to a historic fifth FIFA U-17 World Cup in Chile 2015 and briefly held the coaching at Sudanese club SC Khartoum.
“It is true that I’ve coached in Nigeria, Sudan, and Tanzania and they have been good experiences for me,” admitted the Barcelona winger.
“Coaching experience is not about just talking and postulating, it involves a long process in getting your ideas across.
“Of course, there would be a moment of difficulties, doubts and things not working the way you want. But part of the experience is for someone to remain calm and be able to move forward.
“Regardless of what we did in Egypt with Tanzania at the AFCON because we didn’t win any of our games but it was great we took Tanzania to the AFCON for the first time in almost 40 years.
“My experience with Tanzania has given me the opportunity to reassess myself and I know I can build upon this if I’m given the job to coach the Chipolopolo,” he noted.
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The FAZ is reportedly offering N3.6million salary for the job on a renewable two-year contract and Amuneke is expected to battle for the plum job with a notable list of coaches including former Enyimba and Rangers coach Serbian Kostadin Papic who is currently attached with Sihlangu of Eswatini.