FAM softens up on assistant coaches’ qualification

Football Association of Malawi (FAM) has defended its executive committee’s decision to lower the minimum qualification for TNM Super League coaches from CAF B licence to CAF C.

The resolution was made during the association’s executive committee quarterly meeting in Mangochi on Saturday.

It came barely two days after FAM barred three coaches, namely Joseph Kamwendo of Bangwe All Stars, Extreme FC’s Elvis Kafoteka and Karonga United’s Luka Milanzi from taking charge of the teams for not possessing the Confederation of African Football (CAF) B licences.

But in an interview yesterday, FAM competitions and communications director Gomezgani Zakazaka insisted that the decision was not meant to lower the standards.

He said: “To the contrary, it is about balancing the situation because we have a big pool of CAF C licence holders.

“This came about because, for about six years, CAF did not administer the CAF B course until last year when we had one. So, that break had an impact and we ended up having more CAF C licence holders.”

Zakazaka said this year, FAM has already conducted one CAF C licence course and it will hold another one later this year.

 “Then, we will switch to CAF B licence courses so that those that are due can upgrade,” he said.

But the meeting maintained CAF B coaching licence as the minimum qualification for a head coach in the Super League.

Following the resolution, Kamwendo, Kafoteka and Milanzi, who were interim coaches, can be maintained as assistant coaches.

In an interview yesterday, Kamwendo expressed relief with FAM ex-co’s decision.

He said: “It takes time to upgrade and in between, we need to practise because coaching is more practical than theory. After all, some of the coaches that have A and B licences are idle.

“The earlier decision taken by FAM was as if they had blocked us. They need to be encouraging us rather than frustrating us. So, kudos to FAM and the football fraternity for this development.”

Veteran coach Yasin ‘Titch’ Osman described the news as a good development.

Said the former Flames and Mighty Mukuru Wanderers coach: “I think it is a good idea as long as they don’t lower the standards further.

“It will give C licence holders a chance for exposure as they will be able to learn from head coaches.”