Mabedi explains Regulars’ snub

Flames interim coach Patrick Mabedi says he has excluded some regulars from the squad facing Guinea in a 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifier at Bingu National Stadium in Lilongwe on Saturday because they do not fit his plans.

In an interview, the former Kaizer Chiefs assistant coach said he also needs to give a chance to up-and-coming players on the basis that the match is of academic interest.

However, some soccer analysts have said the interim coach, who faces assessment after the Guinea match, still needs his best arsenal.

Mabedi has dropped South Africa-based striker Frank Gabadinho Mhango, but he justified the move, saying he wants to give him ample time to settle down at his new club Moroka Swallows.

He said: “Gaba is a very good player. I  told him that he just got a team and I think it is wise for him to settle down.

“I want him to have game time, especially not to lose form since he has just joined the team.”

Responding to Mighty Mukuru Wanderers coach Mark Harrison’s sentiments over the exclusion of  his goalkeeper Williams Thole, who has 10 clean sheets in the TNM Super League, Mabedi said the goalkeeper needs to improve on his footwork.

He said: “These days a goalkeeper is is now a sweeper and has to be able to start play from the back.

“Now, if your foot work is not good, we need enough time to train you. We are trying to take players who are ready to play. You know at national team we don’t have enough time to train [players] like you have at club level.”

The coach, however, said he was unable to have Chitipa United goalkeeper George Chikooka because he does not have a passport.

Mabedi also delved into his style of play, saying he is looking for players that are good at good transition in both attacking and defending.

 Said Mabedi: “Our philosophy is in two phases. When we have the ball and when we don’t have the ball and players that we bring here must suit that play.

“So, you need to know what to do in those moments. When you lose the ball, what do we do? We need players who can manage when we don’t have the ball.

“There are a lot of players in the Super League and abroad. But when we monitor them, we see that they can only manage in one transition which is either just attacking or  defending. They cannot collectively do both.”

The coach said he has retained most of the players from the Cosafa Cup where Malawi finished fourth because they have been tried and tested.

 “I mean, I always believe that in life you can’t fix something that ain’t broken. These youngsters went out and they did well at Cosafa Cup. So, why not believe in them?” wondered Mabedi.

He, however, said the other foreign-based players such as Mozambique-based midfielder Yamikani Chester will be recalled in upcoming assignments.

But soccer analyst George Chiusiwa said while the coach has continued his approach of sticking to up-and-coming players, he has not been consistent in picking players on merit.

“It is strange that while he promised that he would only consider players on merit, there have been surprise inclusion of certain players like Peter Banda and Francisco Madinga who despite being young, have not played for a while.

“Perhaps his decision to call the is based on his familiarity with them and the young age as well as their relative experience with the team. One would expect that other players who have been consistent excellent performers ought to be considered at this time when we are still rebuilding the side.”

On his part, soccer analyst Kevin Moyo said Mabedi, who will be assessed by Football Association of Malawi after the Guinea match to decide his future, needed experienced players in the squad.

He said: “I still feel the team is in transition and for this match, which is highly competitive and technically superior to Cosafa Cup, Gaba needed to come to guide the youngsters.

“Afcon is a top quality tournament technically. Gaba going by stats, is our best striker and our short-coming as a nation, is goal scoring.

“Cosafa Cup  is developmental in nature while Afcon is the very best of African football.  It will be suicidal to compare Afcon qualifiers to Cosafa Cup.”

Moyo said Mabedi needs to beat Guinea to prove that he is the right man for the Flames coaching job since Cosafa Cup alone will not be a proper yardstick.

So far, Mabedi is unbeaten in open play since taking over from immediate-past coach Mario Marinica in June.