Lusaka — ZAMBIA national football team coach Ben Bamfuchile has said the four warm-up matches organised by the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) will be good for gauging the strength of the Chipolopolo Boys ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations tournament next January.

And Bamfuchile has described South Africa national football team coach Stuart Baxter's decision to quit his position as unfortunate.

Bamfuchile said playing Egypt, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Zimbabwe would help put the Chipolopolo Boys in good shape for the tournament.

FAZ announced on Wednesday that CAN 2006 hosts, Egypt, have invited Zambia for a preparatory match on either January 11 or 14 while the match against Zimbabwe will be played next month in Bulawayo with two games against DR Congon one on December 11 and another match three days later.

Bamfuchile said it would be exciting to go to the Africa Cup of Nations tournament with a fully-fledged side.

"This is a good beginning. We must start from somewhere in preparing for this tournament," he said.

However, Bamfuchile said it was important that the country took advantage of the FIFA calendar with regards to days reserved for international friendlies.

The former Power Dynamos coach said international friendlies should be an on-going process.

"There is need for a long term plan for friendlies at all levels. We must run away from tendencies of the as and when a situation arise. Arrangements should be made early," he said.

Bamfuchile said it would be interesting to make arrangements for international friendlies early especially that FIFA has outlined its calendar through to 2008.

"Regardless of who is in office at FAZ, these preparations must continue because the national team will always be there," he said.

Meanwhile, Bamfuchile believes Baxter whose former team Bafana Bafana have been pitted against Zambia in Group C, should not have made the decision with less than 60 days before the tournament kicks off in Egypt.

"Each time South Africa qualify for the tournament, they seem to have problems like this but I don't think this is good for the development of football," he said.

Bamfuchile said Baxter's decision might have a two-way effect on the performance of Bafana Bafana at the Nations Cup.

"This development could work out positively for South Africa but again can also have negative repercussions," he added. "The new coach could have the zeal and want to prove a point but again fail to find a formula because of the period involved might be too short."

Bamfuchile however said it would not be in Zambia's plan to concentrate on what was happening in other camps but instead prepare the Chipolopolo Boys adequately for the tournament.

Baxter quit after nine games without a win while in charge of Bafana Bafana.

Zambia has been drawn in the same group with defending champions Tunisia, South Africa and Guinea.