Coaches keep fingers crossed

FAM has started consultations to determine the future of the Flames caretaker coaching panel headed by Eddington Ng’onamo.

The panel’s tenure came to an end on Wednesday, when the Flames were held to a painful 2-2 draw by Kenya’s Harambee Stars at Kamuzu Stadium in Blantyre.

The caretaker coaches, who include assistants Patrick Mabedi and Ernest Mtawali, were hired to be in charge of three 2014 World Cup qualifiers against Namibia [twice] and Kenya from which they registered a win and two draws.

Football Association of Malawi (FAM) president Walter Nyamilandu on Thursday said the fate of the panel would be determined next week.

“We are now going into consultations with key stakeholders, who include Sports Council, government and our technical sub-committee,” said Nyamilandu.

While admitting that the association is facing a race against time ahead of the Cosafa Castle Cup next month, Nyamilandu said it is not automatic that the trio will continue.

“Suffice to say, they were on probation whereupon a decision will be made, based on their performance on whether to offer them permanent contracts,” he said.

But Ng’onamo claimed that he and his backroom staff have done fairly well and need to be taken on board permanently.

“We have done our part and it is now up to them to determine our fate,” he said.

He also said for the sake of continuity, it would be wise to give them the benefit of the doubt as they were building the team.

Soccer analyst Charles Nyirenda, former Flames captain Peter ‘Mjojo’ Mponda and a soccer fan Kelvin Chifunda said under the circumstances they operated in, the coaches tried their best.

Said Nyirenda: “To be fair to them, they were given a tough assignment and if you ask me ‘have they sunk the ship further?’ The answer is no, because they did not lose, but managed to chalk a win away against a team that had always given us problems in the past.”

Mponda said considering other factors, such as preparations and players’ incentives, the coaches passed the test.

“We cannot keep on changing coaches. For the sake of continuity, I would urge FAM to stick with them,” said the Flames legend.

On the other hand, Chifunda said FAM must take the blame for failing to give players incentives and also lack of proper preparations.