Three newly-promoted TNM Super League teams, Songwe Border United of Karonga, Ekhaya United of Blantyre and Lilongwe-based Blue Eagles are yet to decide on coaches as teams gear up for pre-season.
Songwe Border and Ekhaya are hunting for new coaches as those that led them to their respective regional titles do not have the required CAF B coaching licence as per club licensing requirements. On the other hand, Blue Eagles are yet to decide the future of their coach Eliah Kananji, whose contract expires on January 31.
Football analysts have since warned that further delays could affect their preparations as the incoming coaches will need time to strategise by, among others, proposing new additions.
Songwe Border United general secretary Palisha Swira in an interview yesterday attributed the delay to some hiccups.
“We have faced hitches in the recruitment process as out of the seven that we shortlisted for the job, only two turned up for interviews,” he said.
“Nevertheless, hopefully by Sunday we should announce the new head coach.”
Swira also disclosed that Italian coach Giusepe Cristaldi, who was among the applicants, was not shortlisted on logistical grounds.
“To be honest, currently we do not have the capacity to hire an expatriate coach, maybe in future. Time is also not on our side,” he said.
On how they are doing on the other licensing requirements, Swira said: “We are on course in other areas such as having a secretariat complete with an administrator, venues for training and matches and ownership.
“What is remaining is Clop [CAF club licensing online platform] as we do not have software.”
Blue Eagles chief executive officer Muhammad Ali said they will have an answer by the end of the week.
“Coach Kananji’s fate will be known before the end of this month,” he said.
“We will announce our activity plans to our stakeholders very soon.”
On his part, Ekhaya United patron William Mpinganjira last week played down the issue of the coach, saying the current head coach and the backroom staff will be maintained.
The Cowboys have been linked with their current technical adviser Gerald Phiri and FCB Nyasa Bullets Reserves coach Enos Chatama.
Football analysts Charles Nyirenda and Kevin Moyo said the newly-promoted teams need to act with speed on the issue of coaches.
Said Nyirenda: “The delay in appointing coaches has to be addressed very quickly by all teams concerned.
“With preparations for the new season expected to commence within the next 14 days on the part of a number of teams, the faster that process is done the better for the coaches to take charge of given clubs.
“This is more critical for sides that are going to engage completely new coaches who will need sufficient time to familiarise themselves with a new Club with a different culture, players and officials.”
On his part, Moyo said: “Coaches ought to have been in place by now to have enough time to strategise and assess the players.”
Meanwhile, Mighty Mukuru Wanderers is the other team that is yet to decide on whether it will maintain acting coach Bob Mpinganjira or bring in a new one.
