FAM courts ministry, seeks help on coaches
FAM has said the cloud of uncertainty surrounding the hiring of interim coaches and extra-budgetary funding could affect Flames preparations for next month’s 2014 World Cup qualifier against Namibia’s Brave Warriors.
The concern has also been shared by the coaching panel headed by Eddington Ng’onamo.
Apart from waiting for government approval on the team’s extra-budgetary request, which is in excess of K100 million (about $300 000), FAM also submitted a request for the interim coaching panel’s offer.
Football Association of Malawi (FAM) president Walter Nyamilandu on Thursday disclosed that they have sought the intervention of Minister of Youth and Sports Enoch Chihana on the matter.
Government is yet to approve the hiring of the five-member interim coaching panel in the countdown to the Namibia game scheduled for March 22 in Windhoek.
“The delay is bound to affect the team’s preparations if we do not offer the coaches contracts as soon as possible.
“It can be disastrous if government does not come to the party because at the end of the day, there is need for a coach to be in charge of the team,” said Nyamilandu.
He said the plan was to go into a two-week camp ahead of the Namibia fixture.
“That is why we are hoping to finalise this week and unveil the coaches next week,” said Nyamilandu.
Chihana confirmed being contacted by Nyamilandu on the issue.
“He [Nyamilandu] called me this morning to say he has made that submission [on the hiring of the interim coaching panel] to my ministry and I am waiting for my officials to brief me.
“But, as it has been noted elsewhere, the problem is that the hiring of interim coaches was not on the initial plan.
“So, we are discussing with Treasury to see if they can consider the request. It is up to the Treasury to do us a favour,” said Chihana.
He added that government does also not want to be seen to be interfering in football matters.
“The tricky part is that the administering and planning of the game rests in the hands of FAM, we only come in to finance their activities.
“Ours is just policy implementation. However, we are hopeful that Treasury will come to our rescue as they have always done,” said Chihana.
However, the ministry’s Principal Secretary Alex Mseka said the request for extra-budgetary funding was submitted to Treasury.
“I have not yet had the feedback, but all the necessary documents were submitted to Treasury and it covers the whole programme up to June,” said Mseka.
On his part, Ng’onamo said he is crossing his fingers that his programme for the Namibia game should come to fruitition.
“My aim is that the team should assemble on February 24 to have three weeks of intense preparations and play an international friendly match in between.
“But that will be subject to approval as I am yet to sign the contract. I hope the authorities [government and FAM] will speed up the process; otherwise, it might affect the team’s preparations,” said Ng’onamo.
