Mabedi given flames job
Football Association of Malawi (FAM) has settled for Patrick Mabedi as Malawi National Football Team coach and offered him a two-year deal.
The association’s president Walter Nyamilandu said in an interview yesterday that this follows FAM emergency committee’s decision on Saturday to approve the Flames’ coach’s appointment.
He said: “He will be free to choose his backroom staff with the approval of the executive committee.”
Nyamilandu also said FAM will discuss the coach’s remuneration modalities with the Ministry of Youth and Sports as well as the Malawi National Council of Sports.
“The coach is expected to start working on 1st November 2023 subject to successful negotiation of the contract agreement,” he said.
On whether they have set any targets, Nyamilandu said: “Our eyes are set on qualifying for the 2026 Africa Cup of Nations.”
Mabedi, whose first assignment will be 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Liberia’s Lone Star and Tunisia’s Carthage Eagles next month, could not be reached for comment yesterday.
But football analyst Kevin Moyo described Mabedi’s appointment as a welcome development.
He said: “It is good for continuity, but there is need to beef up his backroom staff with experts in some fields such as a performance analyst, who are crucial in the modern game.
“North and West Africa are good examples of countries that have local coaches who have expatriate analysts as part of the backroom staff.”
The ex-Flames, Kaizer Chiefs and FCB Nyasa Bullets captain was Flames caretaker coach for five months after taking over from Romanian Mario Marinica, who was fired after a string of poor results.
Under Mabedi’s tutelage, the Flames did not lose in open play in eight matches, but they only won three and drew the rest.
Malawi also reached the last four at the 2023 Cosafa Cup for the first time in two decades.
Last month, FAM general secretary Alfred Gunda said they would first assess Mabedi before casting their net wider.
He said as of last month, over 50 coaches had applied for the Flames job.
