Malawi Super league top scorer misses out again on Flames squad

Top goal-scorers in other countries’ top tier leagues get an automatic national team call up but that’s not the case in Malawi.

The current joint Super League top goal scorer with 11 goals so far, Mafco FC’s lethal forward Richard Mbulu has once again been left out of the Malawi National Team preliminary 27-man squad for a formality 2017 African Cup of Nations qualifier against Swaziland on September 3 at Kamuzu Stadium.

When Flames coach Nsanzurwimo Ramadhan released the squad list during a press briefing on Tuesday morning, journalists were puzzled but his response was simple:

“Richard Mbulu is a good striker but he is not yet ready to represent his country. I have been observing him but I think it will be too early to be called into the squad,” she said.

Mbulu’s absence on the list received mixed reactions from football lovers on social media as some Malawians questioned the criteria Ramadhan used in coming up with the list.

Malawi24 however understands that Mbulu’s absence could be as a result of the ban he has received alongside fellow Mafco players and officials after a heightened row with Nyasa Big Bullets players and officials last week.

The Flames coach was however coy on this matter.

However, Mbulu is not the first in-form hit-man to have been left out of Malawi’s squad.

Last year, Innocent Bokosi, who finished as joint top goal-scorer alongside Chiukepo Msowoya with 14 goals, never made it into the National team squad despite calls from football lovers to have him included in the team.

Bokosi aside, Callisto Kalinda, who took the Super League by storm with his goal-scoring run in the 2013/14 season was never considered for national team duties.

Only time will tell when hit-men of Mbulu’s calibre will be given a chance to represent the Malawi.