Kinnah, Young fall out
The relative calm in the Flames coaching panel could, after all, be masking cracks between coach Kinnah Phiri and his deputy Young Chimodzi, it has emerged.
Reports suggest Kinnah suspects Chimodzi is sabotaging his job because he eyes the head coach position.
The Nation
verified the issue with a player, who could only confirm the strained relationship. Two football administrators privy to the issue corroborated the sabotage suspicions.
“The coach has sentiments that he does not get cooperation from his assistant. All might appear rosy, but the two go parallel,” said one football official who granted the interview on condition of anonymity.
But the other official said the big matter that emerged when grilling Kinnah at the recent FAM executive meeting was that, while fingers are on poor preparations, the coach’s tactics were found wanting.
He cited Kinnah’s dislike of natural wingers and poor fielding as contributing to Flames’ struggles.
The player, who claimed Kinnah sidelines Chimodzi in squad selection and training, accused an ‘overstayed’ member of the panel of misleading the head coach.
Kinnah, who is believed to have raised the issue during FAM executive when grilled about the Flames’ dip in form, on Thursday played down the sabotage theory.
“There is nothing like that. When you are in an organisation, you negotiate. It is normal. Nothing very critical. There is harmony between us. I have always involved him,” he said.
Asked if he suspects Chimodzi’s sabotage and whether he raised the matter with FAM, Kinnah replied: “Many people have said that. It is just that when you make a comment, people misinterpret it.”
Chimodzi on Thursday said: “I have also heard that from sources. It is disappointing that I am being suspected of sabotaging the team. I have no reason for doing that. It is all about serving the nation.”
FAM technical director Jack Chamangwana, while admitting hearing about the sabotage ‘speculations’, blamed some people for feeding lies to the coaches to divide them when “in my opinion, their relationship is okay”.
