FAZ has settled for former Croatian assistant coach Aljosa Asanovic as national team coach.
Asanovic is no stranger to Zambian football as he was the technical Advisor appointed to help interim coach Beston Chambeshi during the 2022 World Cup qualifiers which saw the Chipolopolo finish third in Group B.
The Qualifies saw Zambia only manage two wins against Mauritania and lost three matches against Tunisia, twice, and Equatorial Guinea, who forced a draw in Lusaka, to finish on seven points.
The former Croatia International boats of 62 caps, during his playing days, before he moved into Coaching.
Asanovic also played for Hajduk Split, Montpellier, Napoli, Panathinaikos and Derby County.
His coaching career saw him work as Croatia assistant coach from 2006 to 2012 and helped the team qualify for European Championships in 2008 co-hosted by Austria and Switzerland.
Asanovic also coached FC Locomotiv Moscow in Russia, Victoria Melbourne Knight Fc in Australia as head coach and Al-Lttihad Jeddah in Saudi Arabia as assistant coach from 2018-2019.
He would be the ninth Chipolopolo coach to be appointed from the time Herve Renard quit his post after the 2013 AFCON finals held in South Africa, Zambia has had about eight coaches with some in the interim capacity and full time basis in a period of eight years.
Patrice Beaumelle took over from Renard and was in charge from 2013 to 2014 before Honour Janza (2014-2015) was appointed coach followed by Geaorge Lwandamina (2015-2016), Wedson Nyirenda (2016-2018) and Beston Chambeshi, who served twice in 2018 and is the emmediate past coach.
Beigian Sven Vandenbroeck took charge of the team from 2018-2019 before Aggrey Chiyangi succeeded him (2019-2020) then Milutin ‘Micho’ Sredojevic, Chambeshi and now Asanovic.
