The Football Association of Malawi (FAM) technical subcommittee has recommended the hiring of a local coach for the Flames.
This was agreed during a meeting held at the weekend in Blantyre following preliminary discussions which FAM had with Sports Council where they were advised to consider cost-effective measures.
The development means FAM will not advertise the position as earlier announced.
FAM general secretary Suzgo Nyirenda said the technical subcommittee has since recommended names for the coach and his deputy, but he kept a tight lid on the names.
“All I can say is that following Sports Council’s advice, we asked the technical subcommittee to meet and map the way forward, which they did and they made the necessary proposals to FAM executive committee.
“Of course, there are names that were thrown into fray, but I cannot disclose them until the executive meets to discuss the proposal,” he said.
He, however, revealed that the plans are to offer the coach a one-year contract.
“We were advised that since the contracts of the previous coaching panel members are still running until August next year, we can come up with an interim arrangement to hire a local coach and his deputy,” said Nyirenda.
He said they cannot wait until August to hire a coach when the Flames have to prepare for 2015 Africa Cup of Nations’ qualifiers as well as the Cosafa Cup.
Asked where the package for the coach will come from, Nyirenda said: “That is the issue which is still under discussion with government and we are meeting them again on January 12.”
FAM technical subcommittee head Moses Mkandawire, who is also the association’s first vice-president confirmed the meeting, but said it would be premature to disclose what was discussed.
“We had fruitful deliberations. What we came up with were mere proposals,” he said.
He dismissed speculations that some of the names that were thrown into fray for consideration include Young Chimodzi, Ernest Mtawali and Patrick Mabedi.
“That is mere speculation and it is very wrong,” he said.
Sports Council executive secretary George Jana said the package for the coach will depend on how they are going to use him.
“The decision will be influenced by how they want to use the coach because we have had permanent coaches who are only active when the national team has a match. So, we have asked them to look into that and depending on the outcome, it will be decided whether to hire a permanent or part-time coach,” said Jana.
The Flames job fell vacant after the expiry of volunteer expatriate Tom Saintfiet’s two-month’s contract. Saintfiet had Eddingtone Ng’onamo and Patrick Mabedi as his deputies. Before that, Ng’onamo was in charge, assisted by Mtawali and Mabedi.
