KINNAH PONDERS RETURN
Time has proved to be a healer for Kinnah Phiri, who despite being fired in an acrimonious manner in 2013, has revealed that he would dive headlong at another Flames’ coaching offer.
Speaking in an exclusive interview from South Africa where last season he rescued Free State Stars from Premier Soccer League’s (PSL) jaws of relegation, Kinnah said, while he is comfortable there, no offer would compare to that of the Flames.
“They want me to extend my contract, but I am still weighing the options. I have decided not to sign the contract now and see what happens. If given an opportunity, I would love to coach the Flames again,” said the Big Bullets legend who is now in his third stint at Stars.
In South Africa, PSL coaches get monthly perks equivalent to K2 million (US$4 444), so why is the man considered Malawi all-time football great returning home for the stress that comes with managing the Flames? FAM fired Kinnah in January 2013 and government redeployed him as regional football officer alongside Young Chimodzi and Jack Chamangwana who were hired again later in 2013.
“Staying away from home for a long time is not good for me. I am homesick. With the situation now in the team, it needs people with more experience,” insisted Kinnah, who inherited Stars while they were second from bottom and took them to ninth on the PSL table.
Some 31 coaches from Africa and abroad have since applied in advance for the job that fell vacant after coach Young Chimodzi’s dismissal on June 14 2015 following a 2-1 losing start to Zimbabwe in the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying race in Group L.
FAM general secretary Suzgo Nyirenda yesterday said there is still time to invite applications and hire Chimodzi’s replacement by August 1 2015 as scheduled. The association wants a coach who is tactically savvy.
“He [Kinnah] has not made his intention known to us, but he is a free man. He can apply. There will be people who will do the shortlisting and interviewing. We are thinking of bringing either an expert from Fifa or CAF, but that is subject to a budget we are working on,” Nyirenda explained.
Stars’ vice-captain Katlego Mashego credits Kinnah and his assistant Themba Sithole for playing a pivotal role, adding in an interview with AfricanFootball that “I believe they ensured we did well by keeping us encouraged – you know even if we lost, they’d say we played well.”
