Immediate-past Flames coach Mario Marinica says he is concerned with fake Facebook pages bearing his identity as they are portraying him in bad light.
In an interview yesterday, the Romanian said he believes the pages were created by some people with ill motives.
Said Marinica said: “It is very sad and unfortunate that some people are impersonating me through these fake Facebook accounts. They are out to tarnish my image.
“I do not have Facebook, Instagram or Twitter accounts and what is happening is putting me in bad light and I want to take up the issue with authorities.
“I just want to put the record straight that whatever is being posted is not coming from me.”
The Nation has viewed two Facebook pages purportedly belonging to Marinica, complete with his pictures.
A post on one of them reads: “Malawians learn to appreciate. [Flames interim coach] Patrick Mabedi has done something extraordinary, something Flames have not achieved in almost 20 years.
“Learn to have patience with people. Results take time. It’s not something you can expect to happen overnight.”
Another post on July 12 2023 reads: “Mr Mabedi enjoying fruits of my labour. However, I congratulate him.”
Yet another one, posted the following day, reads: I have just spoken to Patrick. Tomorrow, he will use part of my philosophy [fast and very fast football] and partly his. I wish the Flames well.”
In an interview yesterday, Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority spokesperson Wezzie Nkhoma-Somba said the first step would be for the former Flames coach to take up the issue with the police.
“And then the police can take it up with us, that is how it goes,” she said.
In an interview last week, Marinica congratulated Mabedi and his charges for qualifying for the semi-finals of the Cosafa Cup.
He also decribed Mabedi as a good coach, saying: “That is why I chose him as my assistant and then proposed him to be the interim coach when I left.”
Marinica’s one-year contract with the Football Association of Malawi expired in May this year and it was mutually agreed not to extend it following poor results.
The fake accounts came to light as Mabedi’s youthful side won all three group matches at the just-ended 2023 HollywoodBets Cosafa Cup in Durban, South Africa.
