Moyale cry foul over league fixtures

Moyale Barracks want Super League of Malawi (Sulom) to review TNM Super League fixtures, saying they are not viable for financially struggling teams.

The Mzuzu-based Malawi Defence Force (MDF) side are in Blantyre to face FCB Nyasa Bullets tomorrow at Kamuzu Stadium.

Moyale coach Nicholas Mhango said they arrived in Blantyre on Monday as they could not afford to return to their base after last weekend’s match against Kamuzu Barracks (KB) at Civo Stadium in Lilongwe.

He said: “We played our first game at home, our second game away against Ekwendeni Hammers in Karonga, then travelled to Lilongwe to play against KB. This week we play against Bullets in Blantyre. With the club’s financial status, how can we survive?

“We came early in Blantyre to cut some expenses. The TNM Super League fixture is just abnormal for Malawi teams. We decided to proceed to Blantyre a day after KB game at least to minimise some costs.”

However, Sulom general secretary Williams Banda said they were not aware of Moyale’s complaint.

He said: “Clubs were requested to provide viable models that can help achieve player recovery and  competition.  They [Moyale] did not air out their concerns though I believe that they will engage Sulom. We are here to serve the interests of the teams.”

Moyale, who are sixth on the table with five points, are not the only team to express reservations with the 2023 fixtures.

Silver Strikers coach Hendrikus Pieter De Jongh also complained that his team was paired against champions Bullets and runners-up Blue Eagles in the two opening matches.

But according to international best practices, fixtures are formulated with a basic rule that a team should not play away twice consecutively in five matches.

For example www.premierleague.com says: “We place each club in a pairing grid, which defines the dates they will be at home. For every date in the season, the fixture computer knows which clubs are at home and who are away and then it will mix them up randomly to determine the matches.

“In any five matches there should be a split of three home fixtures, two away or the other way around. A team will never have more than two home or away matches in a row, and, wherever possible, you will be home and away around FA Cup ties.”