Kinnah seeks media assistance

Flames coach Kinnah Phiri has proposed meetings with sports reporters across Malawi to get ideas on how to improve Flames performance this year.

The Flames had a terrible outing last year when they failed to qualify for the Afcon, were eliminated in the Cecafa Cup quarter-finals and managed only two draws in their 2014 World Cup qualifiers.

They had four wins in 16 games and dropped to position 111 on the Fifa rankings.

Kinnah said in an interview on Tuesday that the media has a great role to play in the fortunes of the Flames; hence, the need to solicit ideas from them.

“I have noted that for the past four years I have been coaching the Flames there has been a huge gap between the technical panel and the media. This is not healthy as the media are people on the ground who know players more than I do.

“So there is need to converge and get ideas on how we can build the Flames this year. So, I have proposed to FAM that I should have such meetings in all the regions of the country,” said Kinnah.

He said the idea to court the media is a result of conflicting views on the Flames’ tactics and selection which flood the media every time the team is in action.

“Some want me to continue using the old guard, some want me to have new blood altogether while others want a mixture. It is really confusing and that is why I would like to hear from the reporters in a forum,” he said.

Sports Writers Association of Malawi vice-general secretary Chisomo Mwamadi welcomed the idea although he said the association has not been officially communicated to.

“We are all football stakeholders and as such strategising will be vital for the development of the Flames. As an association, we will wait for the coach to approach us officially, then we will take it up from there,” said Mwamadi.

The Flames have crucial World Cup qualifiers against Namibia and Kenya at home and away in Nigeria.