Netball Association of Malawi (NAM) says it is negotiating with Malawi Queens expatriate coach Debbie Fuller to extend her contract having met all the targets that the local netball governing body set .
The targets were a top seven finish at the 2026 Commonwealth Games, qualifying for the 2027 Netball World Cup and a podium finish at the just-ended 2026 Africa Netball Championship.
NAM president Vitumbiko Gubuduza said in an interview yesterday that they are impressed with Fuller’s performance.
She said: “There are definite plans to extend the contract. As you are aware, our initial offer to Debbie was a two-year contract, but she accepted one year.
“We have had ongoing discussions about the way forward and she has consistently indicated that she may extend should she qualify for the World Cup.
“Africa Cup Qualifiers have always been the most important qualification pathway for her, particularly with a significant influx of younger players.”
Gubuduza said they were impressed that the coach met all the targets with a predominantly youthful new squad.
She said: “Eight players in the squad are under the age of 23, so securing qualification with this group represents both a major achievement and a key deliverable in the broader rebuilding of the game.
“As NAM, having Debbie for a longer period has always been our preference. It is also the natural progression that she takes the team she has built to the Netball World Cup.
“She is clearly the best person for the job.”
Gubuduza further said the changes and important lessons she has introduced have benefitted not only the team, but NAM as a whole, “particularly in establishing a high-performance environment”.
She said: “We, therefore, intend for her to remain through our preparations and progression into the World Cup. We will engage her on the extension of her contract soon.
“We will need to discuss her availability. These are not areas requiring immediate work, those will be identified through the performance review, but they are a key consideration as we look toward the World Cup.”
Nevertheless, Gubuduza said they are aware that Fuller has commitments in New Zealand.
“So, we will need her to be present more frequently to strengthen the team; we will assess how this can be managed,” she said.
Gubuduza also said they are committed to preparing strongly for the Netball World Cup and believes that they have the right team and the right people in place for that role.
Fuller had not responded to our questionnaire by press time yesterday,
But after the Africa Netball Cup, she hinted at extending her deal, saying: “If we are going to a world tournament, we have to be world-class ourselves. So, we have to go up two or three levels.
“We need to have people that are dedicated, who will go there to compete and not just to participate. I am not interested in taking tourists.”
