NAM dilly-dallys on queens coach

M

alawi National Council of Sports says NAM is yet to start the process of hiring a permanent coach for the Malawi Queens despite getting the green light from government.

Sports Council spokesperson Edgar Ntulumbwa was reacting to Netball Association of Malawi (NAM) vice-president Chimwemwe Bakali’s claims that they were still consulting stakeholders on the matter.

In an interview yesterday,  Ntulumbwa said up to now, they have not received communication from Netball Association of Malawi (NAM) on the issue.

He said: “So, if they are consulting stakeholders, they are not referring to government and I hope in the end, we’ll not be blamed for delaying the process.

 “Getting an approval is one thing, and starting the actual process is yet another thing, but up to now there is nothing from them and all we are seeing are stories in the newspapers.

“If the plan is to advertise the post, or they want to retain the immediate-past coach, they are supposed to inform us, that’s how it ought to be.”

NAM vice-president Chimwemwe Bakali was quoted as having said: “We have not finished consultations with relevant stakeholders on the recruitment of a permanent coach.

He, however, said NAM is going to make an announcement shortly on who will take charge of the Queens temporarily as they await the hiring of a permanent coach.

A source confided in The Nation that NAM executive committee has settled for immediate-past coach Peace Chawinga-Kaluwa as caretaker coach.

The First Choice Tigresses coach’s contract with NAM as part-time coach expired at the end of August.

Queens’ next big assignment is the 2023 Netball World Cup to be hosted by South Africa.

For the first time, Malawi failed to qualify for the tournament automatically after slumping on world rakings and qualified after finishing second in the qualifying tournament held in South Africa in August this year.