Mponda confirmed as U-20 coach

FAM has confirmed former Flames assistant coach Peter Mponda as the interim head coach for the Under-20 national football team ahead of the Cosafa Under-20 Youth Championship.

The tournament will be held in Lusaka, Zambia from December 4 to 14.

Confirming the appointment, Football Association of Malawi (FAM) general secretary Alfred Gunda yesterday said the Nyasa Big Bullets assistant coach will be assisted by Audillow Makonyola and Christopher Nyambose.  Sibusiso Padambo has been retained as goalkeeper trainer while Aubrey Nankhuni and Victor Jobo are team manager and team doctor, respectively.

Gunda said all members have since accepted the offers.

“FAM, in consultation with the National Football Coaches Association [NFCA], arrived at the decision to employ the panel specifically for the Cosafa assignment,” he said.

Gunda added that FAM and government are currently in the process of advertising for a full-time Under-20 coach.

“The advert will be floated in the media soon. Government gave us green light to employ full time coaches for Under-20 and Under-17 and the formal process will start soon. But for the Cosafa [tournament], which is urgent, we will go with this interim panel,” he said.

Mponda, who was Flames assistant coach for two years under Belgian coach Ronny van Geneugden, said he is ready for the challenge.

“It is always an honour to serve the country and I am ready to lead the boys. I have been to the Cosafa Under-20 tournament as assistant coach twice. So, I know what it takes. We will talk more about our plans when we name the squad over the weekend,” he said.

Meanwhile, the team is expected to start their preparations next Monday at the Mpira Village in Blantyre.

The technical panel’s confirmation comes a week after members of the NFCA were reportedly split over the proposed names of the technical panel.n