Msungama rues Malawi football

Malawi football is completely finished and lacks leadership to pluck it from the slump, football scout Kondi Msungama claimed on Tuesday.

But FAM has disagreed. Weekend Nation had on Tuesday asked for Msungama’s take on why local coaches do not aspire for jobs across the borders and why there is no Malawian among the 2013 Glo-CAF players awards nominees.

“The writing is on the wall that our football is finished. Do we have the Flames? Do we have a coach? When I speak out, FAM people hate me. They even go public saying I am jealous, but I do not aspire for any position. I will not stop criticising and advising them,” insisted Msungama.

He labelled local coaches as not being pro-active.

Malawi qualified for the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations because, Msungama argued, FAM used to take criticism in its stride, “but now they have become big-headed. They have grown wings.”

Other critics have also cited as sign of retrogression failure to commercialise football, harmonise the football calendar, enforce players’ transfer regulations, inability to participate in CAF youth and club competitions (since 2004) and continued gate fraud as examples of Malawi football stagnation.

“The critical issue is that if things are not done professionally, you are bound to suffer from roundabout syndrome as is the case with our football whereby you appear to be doing something when nothing is happening,” analyst Charles Nyirenda told Weekend Nation of October 5 2013.

But FAM president Walter Nyamilandu insisted that there are some improvements, but it could have been better.

“It is competitive. There is spirit of competition. But maybe the standards of play might not be good enough. Of course, there are issues like the economic situation which is beyond FAM’s control,” he said.

Asked to rate fulfilment of his campaign promises and the expired strategic plan, Nyamilandu said he was not good at rating himself. He added that Msungama was being personal in his comments.

“Msungama has issues that have nothing to do with football. I do not want to go into details; no matter his accusations, I do not hate him. He is trying to get back at me. That is why he has been attacking FAM lately,” said Nyamilandu.