Eagles, KB fight for CAF slot
Football Association of Malawi (FAM) has said participation in the CAF Confederation Cup will not be automatic for Blue Eagles as Kamuzu Barracks FC also expressed interest to join the continental tournament.
FAM’s position comes in the face of Malawi Police Service Inspector General Meryln Yolamu’s decision to approve Eagles’ participation in the tournament last week.
But in an interview yesterday, FAM club licensing and compliance manager Casper Jangale said there will be a number of factors to be considered.
He said: “It’s good that we have a number of teams showing interest to take part in CAF tournaments as our players stand to be exposed.
“But for now, Nyasa Big Bullets are eligible for both the CAF Champions League and CAF Confederation Cup, having won both the TNM Super League and the FDH Bank Cup.
“This means that they will have to choose which tournament they will participate in.
“In the event that they go for Champions League, which is a likely scenario, then the slot for CAF Confederation Cup will be determined through the Airtel Top 8 and if both Eagles and KB don’t win it, then we will have to come up with the way forward.
“In the event that Bullets choose the Confederation Cup, then Eagles have a better chance of taking part in Champions League, having finished as runners-up in the Super League while KB finished third.”
In an interview yesterday, Bullets chief executive officer Suzgo Nyirenda said they will be guided by the technical committee on which continental tournament they will join.
He said: “The assumption is that our preference would be the Champions League, but it will depend on the technical committee’s recommendation.
“We expect a report from the technical committee at the end of the season on how we fared and their recommendations on the way forward. So, that will form a basis and decision on which tournament to join.”
Football marketing consultant Felix Ngamanya Sapao said it is encouraging that more local teams want to join CAF tournaments.
He said: “That’s one of the ways we can expose and develop local talent which in turn, could also help the national team.
“One of the reasons we struggle in tournaments like Cosafa Cup and Chan [Africa Nations Championship] is because most of our players are not exposed internationally.”
