FAM accused of betrayal

France-based Fifa licensed agency Royal Soccer Scout has accused Football Association of Malawi (FAM) of breaching an agreement that mandated the player management firm to market Malawian footballers in Europe.

The two parties signed a two-year agreement in January this year in Yaoundé, Cameroon, during the delayed 2021 Africa Cup of Nation (Afcon) finals.

But Royal Soccer Scout managing director Amadou Tigana on Wednesday said he was surprised that FAM has signed yet another agreement with Turkey-based Pelican Sports Agency.

FAM signed the new deal after taking the Malawi Under-23 national football team for a series of international matches organised by Sports Edge and Africa-TMS. During the series, the team beat Kuwait 2-0 before losing 3-0 to Togo.

Tigana said when he heard about the Under-23 trip to Turkey, he was excited to market the players.

However, he said FAM ignored him when he tried to fly to Turkey to join the team.

Tigana said: “I asked [FAM] to facilitate for my visas, tickets and accommodation to go and market directly some talents, but they never responded.”

He said the next thing he heard was that FAM had engaged the Turkish firm to do the same job they had agreed.

He said: “It’s so sad. I trusted FAM so much.”

But, FAM president Walter Nyamilandu on Wednesday differed with Tigana, saying the association was free to engage other agencies.

He said: “We are entitled. It was not exclusive. We are plying in a vast market that needs vast networking. We need to open more doors for our players.”

Asked if the deal with Royal Soccer Scout is still on, Nyamilandu said it’s up to the French agency to deliver.

He said: “The onus is on him to do more because we have abundant talent in Malawi.”

Soccer analyst Patrick Zgambo also felt Royal Soccer Scout was being unrealistic for expecting FAM to exclusively deal with them.

He said: “That is just a fallacy for any single sports agency. The market is there for the taking.”

Zgambo, however, cautioned FAM against getting entangled in player marketing deals with agencies.

“FAM shouldn’t be having these small agreements as an FA. Theirs is to facilitate for local clubs and academies to do the same with the likes of Royal Soccer Scout and Turkish Pelican Sports.

“FAM’s direct engagement should be strategic and focus on technical support to junior teams and not to do everything themselves, including direct player marketing.

“There is always an elephant in the room about what is exactly in these FAM agreements with sports agencies. Are they loose gentleman’s agreement or exclusive formal contracts and what are the responsibilities?

“In what capacity and mandate does FAM act in in these agreements? Does FAM own player registrations to be negotiating with sports agencies?”

The Turkish agency has since taken on board Blessings Mpokera and Alick Lungu of Nyasa Big Bullets, Chawanangwa Gumbo of Ekwendeni Hammers, Mphatso Kamanga of Karonga United and Fanizo Mwansambo of Bangwe All Stars.