MDF to review Super League teams cut
The Malawi Defence Force (MDF) has said it will review its earlier resolution to cut the number of military teams to three in the next TNM Super League season.
MDF chief of training Brigadier Paul Phiri said in an interview the army top brass will meet this month to either implement or shelve the resolution, which aims at cutting expenditure amid the country’s economic challenges.
None of the MDF’s four teams—Kamuzu Barracks (KB), Mafco, Moyale Barracks and Red Lions—will face relegation at the end of this season, a development that has put the military institution in an awkward situation.
KB are currently leading the 16- team league with 55 points from 28 games and will be declared champions if they win their remaining two games while Mafco are fifth with 50 points from the same number of games. Moyale and Red Lions are seventh and 10th on 44 and 40 points, respectively, with a game to go apiece.
In an interview on Monday, Phiri said: “We are meeting possibly this week or next week to review that stand. We will announce our final decision later but, until that time, the idea to pluck one team from the elite league still stands. “
Meanwhile, Red Lions coach Pritchard Mwansa is hoping that all the four army teams will be maintained in the Super League.
“The army teams’ participation in the Super League inspires a spirit of competitiveness amongst ourselves. For instance, if KB is doing well, we all want to fight and reach their level,” he said.
This season MDF barred Chilumba Barracks of Karonga from joining the Super League despite earning promotion from the Simama Northern Region Football Association (NRFA) League, saying they could not manage to finance five teams in the top-flight league.
Army teams have, for years, been part of Malawi football’s stamina, having nurtured national team players such as Dave Banda and Gastin Simkonda alongside former internationals Wilfred Nyalugwe, Mwansa, Mike Kumanga, Victor Phiri and Stereo Gondwe.
While saying they are yet to be officially communicated on the MDF’s intention to pull out a team from the league, Super League of Malawi (Sulom) general secretary Williams Banda said they “will use the existing regulations” on how to replace the exiting team.
Banda was recently quoted in the media, as saying, only one team will be practically relegated from the league this season. Three teams are supposed to be chopped at the end of this season but Max Bullets are already out after the team disbanded few months ago.
On whether MDF’s plan to remove a team, which has not been relegated from the league, will attract a fine, Banda said: “That is not Sulom’s opinion.”n
