BB, Nomads clash over precious stone

Battle lines have been drawn between rivals Nyasa Big Bullets and Be Forward Wanderers over   the Flames highly-rated left-back Precious Sambani.

The Flames defender is reported to be boycotting training at Wanderers for two months following a dispute between the Nomads and his parent club, Namiwawa FC, over transfer fees payment.

Wanderers rivals Bullets, have taken advantage of the impasse between the youth team and the Nomads and enticed the youthful defender to join the red side of town once his loan deal expires at the end of season.

But Wanderers chairperson Gift Mkandawire yesterday warned Big Bullets to stay away from the player since he is still contracted to them.

“We sorted out the differences we had over his transfer fee payment. We still owe him, but we agreed on how to pay him his signing on fees. He is set to return to the club [second round] and will resume training tomorrow [Friday],” he said.

Mkandawire said he had already warned Bullets to back off but was aware that they still want to ‘steal’ the player.

“We heard that they had approached the player with an offer and I personally talked to Fleetwood Haiya [Bullets chief executive officer] that this will lead to chaos,” he said.

Haiya confirmed Bullets’ interest.

“I can only confirm that we want him not for this season,” he said.

Football Association of Malawi (FAM) player transfer system manager Casper Jangale confirmed that the player still belongs to Namiwawa.

“The fact is that Precious [Sambani] is a Namiwawa player loaned to Wanderers until the end of the season,” he said.

Jangale said Wanderers and Namiwawa FC were better placed on what they agreed on what to do at the end of the loan deal.

“Of course, he can sign a pre-contract if he has six months to go with his club.”

But the loan agreement with Namiwawa FC, gives the Nomads the first option to sign him permanently, according to Wanderers.

The Nomads apparently, already agreed on the permanent deal with the player, but the they have struggled to pay the signing on fee.

Namiwawa coach Sailasi Luwindo, who also manages Sambani, insisted that the player would not return to Wanderers for failing to honour the agreement.

Apart from Sambani, the Nomads have also been struggling to pay signing on fees for  Peter Cholopi, William Thole and Dan Kumwenda from Azam Tigers, Dennis Chembezi and Misheck Botomani from Premier Bet Wizards, due to what Mkandawire described as financial problems.