Football Association of Malawi (FAM) has parted way with yet another permanent coach, but is it time the association took a look at itself?
FAM is again on the hunt for a new permanent coach, having parted ways with Marian Mario Marinica after just twelve months at the helm of Flames.
The Nation newspaper has reported that the country’s soccer governing body has now targeted FCB Nyasa Big Bullets coach Kalisto Pasuwa to take over on interim basis to complete the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying games against Guinea and Ethiopia.
But Pasuwa’s arrival cannot overshadow the underlying problems faced by FAM and the void that has been left in the technical team.
On average, including interims, Flames coaches have lasted a year each, with Kim Splidsboel’s two-year reign between 2000 and 2002 standing out.
Pasuwa’s imminent arrival represents the 20th different reign of a new coach since 1999, and there is clearly a climate of instability.
Of the 20 coaches, 19 were appointed permanently, but FAM is yet to truly realize their potential and build on the foundations laid by German coach Manfred Hoener who is credited as having shaped the Malawi football in late 1990s.
Here is where things have gone wrong for FAM, and the areas where the country’s footballing governing body must improve if they are to put an end to the ongoing malaise.
Flawed recruitment policy
In as much as the nation should accept that the Malawi National Football Team has been underperforming even with our best players in the team, the issue of coaches who messed up the team because of FAM’s flawed recruitment policy should also be addressed going forward.
The body has been looking at the wrong places when recruiting permanent coaches.
At times, they just took anyone who was available for the sake of appointing someone, especially when it comes to the so called expatriates.
In 2017, Walter Nyamilandu and his fellow executive members assembled a team of journalists at Mpira Village where Ronny Van Geneugden was unveiled as Flames coach.
The FAM boss surprised everyone in the building when he said RVG was recommended based on YouTube videos. How on earth would FAM recruit a national team coach based on edited YouTube videos? The aftermath of this decision was fatal as Malawi failed to perform, and the Belgian could not last for more than two years despite signing a long-term contract.
In 2006, FAM brought in Burkhard Ziese from Germany to replace Micheal Hennigan, who coached Malawi in 2005. Just like his predecessor, he had to be chased out of the team’ training sessions as he found himself in bad books with the association.
Remember how FAM fired Kinnah Phiri, Malawi’s legend, who took the team to Afcon in 2010?
FAM could have easily allowed Phiri to continue with the project he started after the tournament as he had worked with the majority of players who were part of the setup, but a poor decision was made, and Flames paid the price by missing out on Afcon finals for years.
However, this is a problem that existed before the current leadership ascended to power.
Splidsboel took Flames to back-to-back Cosafa Cup finals in 2002 and 2003 editions but he left his role and he was replaced by Allan Gillet in 2003.
The Flames never performed, and it took years for the team to qualify for Afcon.
Splidsboel had laid a solid foundation for the team, and he understood the players well, but FAM saw the need to have him replaced for the reasons known to themselves.
Since then, the body has chopped and changed coaches, but nothing has improved in as far as the team’ performance is concerned.
FAM’s impatience with coaches
Kinnah Phiri
Kinnah Phiri was handed the job in 2009 to replace Steve Constantine, but he was fired after two years despite taking the team to Afcon. This was immediately after Malawi missed the Afcon tournament following a 2-2 draw away to Chad.
Phiri was replaced by his assistant Young Chimodzi and just like his predecessor, Chimodzi was shown the exit door following Malawi’s failure to make it to Afcon finals.
After the duo, Ernest Mtawali was named Flames coach. His record was worse than the two, but he had direction as he created spaces for the youngsters whom he used at the Under 20, and these youngsters are the ones playing for the senior team.
FAM showed little patience with Mtawali when they sacked him, with the irreparable relationship between the coach and the association.
Ramadhan Nsanzurwimo was brought in on an interim basis and only lasted for less than five games as FAM opted to hire Gerald Phiri Senior.
Just like all the other local coaches employed by FAM, he was also shown the exit door just after a year into his contract and he was replaced by RVG who was also fired twelve months into his contract.
Then, it was Meck Mwase’s turn to lead the team to the 2021 Afcon finals in Cameroon.
Mwase delivered as the Flames qualified for Afcon finals, and people could see that Malawi was now playing as a team, with direction.
But with months to go before the tournament, Marinica arrived in Malawi as a technical director and he agreed on a three-year deal with the association.
In December 2021, FAM surprised everyone when they announced that Marinica was named as an interim coach for the team at a tournament, which was scheduled to kick off in three weeks’ time.
The move was an insult to Mwase, who did a very good job for the team, and just like that, he was erased in the picture.
When the team returned from Cameroon, FAM fired Mwase and appointed Marinica as a permanent coach.
This was the beginning of problems as Malawi took ten steps backward and performed poorly at Cosafa, Chan qualifiers, and in the 2023 Afcon qualifiers where they lost 4-0 to Egypt to put their qualifying hopes in jeopardy.
Malawi, anchoring Group D with three points, only scored two goals from the spot against Ethiopia, and they turned themselves into whipping boys as they failed to score in three consecutive games.
Marinica was fired on Saturday as the association agreed not to renew his contract, which expires on 30th April 2023.
From what has been happening, FAM doesn’t give enough time to the coaches they employ.
A good example is how Thom Saintfiet, who came in as a coach in 2013, was fired by FAM after he lost 2-0 to Nigeria in the World Cup qualifying match.
Saintfiet is now one of the best coaches, and his technical and tactical abilities have seen him performing wonders with Gambia national football team as he inspired the team to the quarterfinals of the 2021 Afcon edition.
Gambia’s under 20 national team reached the Afcon Under 20 finals, although they lost 2-0 to Senegal. Had it been Saintfiet was fired by Gambia football Association, the nation wouldn’t have achieved what they are achieving now.
Isn’t it shocking to see FAM handing one-year contracts to football coaches and expect the nation team to perform wonders? How can someone qualify for Afcon, Chan and winning Cosafa within twelve months? With which team? We should lower our expectations and accept that we are in total mess. Whosoever comes to replace Marinica should be given time to clean up the mess created by those in authority.
Until FAM resolve these factors, and others that have been reported, Flames supporters should expect the uncertainty and instability to persist.
Follow us on Twitter:
