Exit Chimodzi, enter Mtawali
A poor run of six wins, 12 defeats and five draws finally cost Young Chimodzi the Flames coaching job yesterday with FAM announcing Ernest Mtawali as the stand-in mentor.
“I accept whatever decision they made and wish my country a very successful outing in the remaining games and there are no hard feelings,” said Chimodzi yesterday. The 2-1 loss to Zimbabwe at the Kamuzu Stadium on Saturday proved to be the last straw that broke the camel’s back.
FAM emergency executive committee meeting held yesterday morning after the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) Group L qualifier resolved that they had lost confidence in Chimodzi and his deputy Jack Chamangwana who have been sent on leave pending the expiry of their contract on July 31 2015.
“FAM has resolved to recommend to Malawi Government not to renew the contracts of employment of the current Malawi national football team’s head coach and his assistant which are due for expiry on 31st July 2015,” the association said in a statement yesterday.
“FAM would like to note that it has lost confidence in the coaches due to poor performance of the Malawi national football team generally during their term of engagement culminating into the recent loss to the Zimbabwe national football team.”
The association said in consultation with government, it will advertise the head coach post with the new mentor expected to be named by August 1 2015.
FAM will cast its net wider both locally and internationally in search for a new coach, the statement added.
Chimodzi’s further record is that he never won away in any competition since being recalled to head the team having previously worked as a deputy coach.
With a 23 percent performance rating, Chimodzi departs weeks after winning the Cosafa Plate Division championship in South Africa on May 29.
Mtawali comes into the hot seat with a record of a win, a loss and three draws in equal number of matches realised as an assistant coach to then Flames trainer Eddingtone Ng’onamo.
The former star player’s record with Malawi Under-20 team, which he nearly took to the Africa Youth Championship finals, stands at two defeats, three wins and two draws. Mtawali’s first task is July 6 Independence Celebrations match against Uganda Cranes with Afcon qualifiers resuming this September.
“It’s a great honour and I look forward to that challenge. I have learnt a lot Young and Jack who have laid the foundation. We just have to work extra harder and try to qualify. This did not come as a surprise as I thought we did well with the Under-20 and FAM have a long term vision for the senior team,” Mtawali who has Uefa coaching badge.
