Fazili, Mpinganjira fired as Marinica names backroom staff

Flames Africa Cup of Nations qualifying technical panel has been fired by new head coach Marian Mario Marinica who has named his own backroom staff ahead of the forthcoming 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

On Wednesday, Marinica name a 27-man local provisional squad for back to back qualifying games against Ethiopia and Guinea later this month.

During the ceremony, the Romanian, who initially came to Malawi as the Technical Director, also announced his backroom staff which has excluded all the members that worked with Meck Mwase during the qualifying campaign for the just ended 2021 Afcon finals in Cameroun.

Lovemore Fazili, Bob Mpinganjira, Swadick Sanudi and Clemment Kafwafwa have all been fired by Marinica.

Marinica has brought in eleven members as his backroom staff, including a data analyst who will also perform the role of a Pyschologist in the team.

The Romanian will have two assistants in Patrick Mabedi and Franco Ndawa. Clwyd Jones is the team’s Assistant/Sport Psychologist and a Data Analyst.

Marinica has also named Major Rogers Mhango as an Assistant Technical Support Manager, with Victor Mphande replacing Sanudi as the Goalkeeper’ trainer.
Gift Ligomeka and Chikondi Mandalasi are Team Doctor and Physiotherapist respectively.

Nyasa Big Bullets Reserves head coach Enos Chatama and Silver Strikers second assistant coach Peter Mgangira have been roped in as Understudy Coaches while Lawrence Waya will be an intern Data Analyst.

James Sangala is back in the technical panel as the Technical Support Manager.

Meanwhile, Marinica has included seven new faces to his local squad in readiness for the two games.
Kamuzu Barracks’ Zeliat Nkhoma, Karonga United’s Mphatso Kamanga, Ekwendeni Hammers’s Chawanangwa Gumbo, Mighty Tigers’s Frank Chikufenji, Nyasa Big Bullets’ Anthony Mfune and Mzuzu Warriors’ Kelvin Kadzinje have all been included to the provisional squad which will start camping on Monday next week.

Surprisingly, Marinica has dropped Blue Eagles in form goalkeeper Brighton Munthali but has recalled veteran striker Chiukepo Msowoya who last played for the team about five years ago.

Below is the full list of local players to go into camp on Monday:

Here is the Malawi national football team provisional squad that coach Mario Marinica has named.

Goalkeepers
Ernest Kakhobwe
Clever Nkungula
Charles Thom

Defenders
Stanley Sanudi
Paul Ndhlovu
Blessings Mpokera
Alick Lungu
Mark Fodya
Kelvin Kadzinje
Gomezgani Chirwa
Frank Chikufenji
Hadji Wali
Precious Sambani
Patrick Banda

Midfielders
Chimwemwe Idana
Yamikani Chester
Schumacher Kuwali
Micium Mhone
Chikoti Chirwa
Innocent Msowoya
Chawanangwa Gumbo

Strikers
Stain Davie
Anthony Mfune
Mphatso Kamanga
Gaddie Chirwa
Chiukepo Msowoya
Zeliat Nkhoma

Technical Panel
Mario Marinica – Head of Technical Panel
Patrick Mabedi – Assistant
Franco Ndawa – Assistant
Clwyd Jones – Assistant/Sport Psychologist/ Data Analyst
James Sangala – Technical Support Manager
Major Rogers Mhango – Assistant Technical Support Manager
Victor Mphande – Goalkeepers trainer
Gift Ligomeka – Team Doctor
Chikondi Mandalasi – Physiotherapist
Peter Mgangira – Understudy Coach
Enos Chatama – Understudy coach
Lawrence Waya – Internal Data Analyst.