Fixture chaos: Teams’ budgets strained

Even without Flames engagements interfering, harmonising domestic football calendar remains a far-fetched dream with Big Bullets left to guess on where and when they will host Blue Eagles this week.

Bullets general secretary Higger Mkandawire yesterday said the uncertainty had affected players and coaches whereas Eagles chairperson George Kainja spoke of budgetary strain.

The initial TNM Super League fixture indicated that Bullets would host the Eagles yesterday at the closed Kamuzu Stadium in Blantyre. Then, the cops should have moved to Zomba for a date with Red Lions today.

In the state of uncertainty, Tuesday evevening Sulom president Innocent Bottomani said the BB vs Eagles match had been switched to Zomba.

FAM and the Super League of Malawi (Sulom) had hoped that by then, the precondition of clubs signing a memorandum of understanding (MoU) would be met for the game to be played at Kamuzu Stadium.

As of Tuesday, Eagles coach Derklerk Mkakakuo

admitted they set off from Lilongwe to the Southern Region uncertain of where they would face Bullets.

Kainja said they had taken the uncertainty in their stride, trusting that FAM and Sulom would finally decide on the venue by close of business yesterday.

“There seem to be light at the end of the tunnel. It is unfortunate as we planned to spend three days and return on Friday. Now, we have to extend our stay and this has cost implications. We may return on the same day after the second game,” Kainja said, then unsure of when they face the Lions.

In an earlier interview with The Nation claimed he was assured that the game was on at Kamuzu Stadium. he later said their players and coaches were complaining over the continued disruption of game plan.

“It took them minutes to decide that our game must not be played at the stadium, yet it is now taking them ages. Our position is that if we are to play outside Blantyre, then FAM and Sulom must meet our expenses,” said Mkandawire.

Sulom treasurer Tiya Somba-Banda, standing in for general secretary Williams Banda, yesterday explained that as per regulations, it was incumbent upon the home team [Bullets] to notify Sulom about home venue and alternative ground.

“In this case, Bullets’ home ground is Kamuzu Stadium, with Kalulu as an alternative. The former is currently closed and the later was not deemed fit as of Tuesday in terms of organising logistics, in particular security, which is paramount,” Somba-Banda said in a response to a questionnaire.

“Moving the game to another ground apart from Kalulu was an option, but it fell short of the 48-hour rule notification hence the shifting of the game to Friday.”

A spate of violence between civilian and Army teams forced FAM and Sulom to stop Super League clubs from playing at Kamuzu Stadium. Earlier, police warned that Bullets and Mighty Wanderers’ fans had issues with Army clubs.

Yesterday, Mkandawire insisted that the issue involved all Blantyre fans. Mafco and Kamuzu Barracks have since apologised to the civilian clubs, hence the MoU plan.