Flames coach pleads

Malawi national football coaches that succeeded Kinnah Phiri have been performing their duties without a vehicle despite their contracts stipulating that they are entitled to one.

The development has prompted the current coach Ernest Mtawali to plead with Football Association of Malawi (FAM) to urgently address the issue

In the course of presenting his report, Mtawali complained to FAM at the last Saturday’s executive committee meeting that his duties are affected by mobility problems.

The coach could not be reached for comment yesterday, but FAM general secretary Suzgo Nyirenda explained that the association was aware of the need to allocate a vehicle for the coach and would do so by the end of the week.

“It’s an internal matter, but I can assure you that we will buy a car specifically for the coach,” he said.

On the vehicle government allocated for the coach back in 2010, Nyirenda said Malawi National Council of Sports (MNCS) was in a better position to explain why it was repossessed.

“During the time of Young Chimodzi and Jack Chamangwana, we tried to plead with Sports Council to release the car for the coaches, but things did not work out,” said Nyirenda.

The vehicle which government bought for national team coach in 2010 was repossessed by MNCS after Kinnah was fired in 2013.

Former Flames assistant coach Jack Chamangwana also noted that during his reign as assistant coach to Young Chimodzi, they were heavily affected by the absence of a car for the coaches.

“It’s tough when you have to rely on your car to execute your duties. The one who suffers most are your family because you have to use your personal car for office work.

“The national team coach job involves travelling a lot to monitor players and it’s either you let the family suffer or use public transport,” Chamangwana said.

However, Sports Council executive secretary George Jana has clarified that the car Kinnah was using was not procured for Flames coach.

“It is wrong to assume that the car is for the Flames coach. That car was specifically procured for the Sports Council administration manager,” Jana said.

“But the then Sports Minister Khumbo Kachali just gave a directive that we must give it to Kinnah. That is why after Kinnah was fired, we got it back,” he said.n