Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture Alfred Gangata yesterday expressed his frustration to Football Association of Malawi (FAM) leadership regarding the Flames’ continued poor performance.
The minister raised the concern during a a closed door meeting he had with officials from his ministry, Malawi National Council of Sports and FAM at Bingu National Stadium in Lilongwe.
A source confided in The Nation that Gangata demanded an explanation from FAM.
“He [the minister] said Malawians are concerned with the Flames’ continued poor showing,” said the source.
The ministry’s spokesperson Macmillan Mwale confirmed in an interview that the Gangata raised the issue.
He said: “First and foremost, the meeting was about improving coordination and general management presentation and it was a success. The minister thanked all stakeholders.
“On the issue you asked, I am not sure in what context your source presented it to you, but what I can say is that the minister wanted to find out why the national team is not doing well and the FAM president [Fleetwood Haiya] explained that it is something to do with the type of players we have.
“If I remember very well, he [Haiya] said we should continue the search for more players in the diaspora. Suffice to say that the minister acknowledged the strides FAM has made in improving the women’s game. ”
The source also said the minister asked FAM about its perceived sour relationship with its affiliate Super League of Malawi (Sulom) and the sidelining of National Women’s Football Association chairperson Adellaide Migogo.
“FAM acknowledged that its relationship with Sulom is not good, the minister then directed that before they [FAM] summon Sulom to a disciplinary hearing in relation to their stand-off on the Kamuzu Stadium issue, the association alongside Sulom and Women’s FA should appear before the ministry,” said the source.
The source further said Migogo confirmed that she is sidelined on some issues by FAM.
But Mwale declined to comment on the matter.
In an interview, Haiya said: “I can confirm that we had a meeting which was convened by the minister and we discussed several issues towards the developoment of football and achievement of our transformative agenda.”
Migogo could not be reached for comment yesterday.
On his part, Sports Council board chairperson Jim Kalua, who also attended the meeting, said: “It was a very important meeting considering recent developments and it was necessary that we move together.
“I would like to thank the minister, his ministry, FAM and Sports Council for this productive meeting and we will be collaborating more to ensure that there are no more gaps. We are all human and we are bound to error. At the end of the day, football must win,” he said.
