Flames coach Kallisto Pasuwa has come under criticism from certain quarters for allegedly ignoring some performing players in his 2026 Fifa World Cup qualifiers’ squad while giving preference to those from his former club, FCB Nyasa Bullets.
The bone of contention is the Zimbabwean tactician’s decision to drop Silver Strikers marksman Binwell Katinji, who helped Malawi to qualify for the Africa Nations Championship (Chan) play-offs second round after netting a goal in each of the two-legs in the 4-0 aggeragte victory over Comoros.
Katinji, who was also ignored in the initial Chan squad and only got a late call-up for the play-offs, has been dropped from the squad that will face Namibia at Bingu National Stadium in Lilongwe on March 20 and Tunisia in Tunis four days later.
Of particular interest is the inclusion of eight Bullets players goalkeeper Richard Chimbamba, defender Alick Lungu and midfielders Yankho Singo, Lloyd Aaron, Chawanagwa Gumbo, Chikumbutso Salima, Wongani Lungu and striker Ephraim Kondowe.
Football fans took to social media, accusing Pasuwa of being biased towards players from Bullets.
In his post on Facebook, Chiso Kapiseni said exclusion of Katinji and inclusion of Kondowe raises doubts on whether the players were picked on merit.
He said: “He [Pasuwa] is turning the Malawi National Football Team into FCB Nyasa Bullets Football Club. A national team should be chosen based on merit, not favouritism.
“Leaving out Katinji while including Kondowe, who has contributed little in the last two games against Comoros, makes no sense. Football is about performance, teamwork, and selecting players based on form, not club loyalty.
“We need fresh energy, creativity and a balanced squad with the best players in every position. Sadly, this kind of bias is hurting our football.”
The inclusion of Bullets midfielders Singo, Aaron, Gumbo and Salima and exclusion of Silver duo of Uchizi Vunga and Chimwemwe Idana, who contributed a lot to the Bankers’ 2024 TNM Super League championship success, has also raised eyebrows.
Columbus David Msapato wondered if Gumbo, Singo and Aaron are better than Idana and Vunga.
He said: “Looking at the midfield options, one might wonder, who among them is better than Chimwemwe Idana and Vunga. Or could this be a tactical decision? That’s Malawian football for you.”
Former Flames and Silver midfielder Peter Pindani also voiced his concern over Pasuwa’s choice of players.
“The best midfield in the league [Vunga and Idana] cannot be called into the senior national team, yet calling amateurs in the midfield from a certain team. Where is the merit?”
Football analyst Charles Nyirenda isaid n an interview that Pasuwa owes football fans an explanation on his squad selection criteria.
He said: “The coach may wish to clarify on these issues. People deserve to know what criteria he used. Personally, in terms of what I saw in the match against Comoros, I believe what people are complaining about has substance.
“Why has Katinji been excluded and Kondowe included? Kondowe is a good player, but he is still trying to gain his form and he struggled a lot in those games.”
Nyirenda said even if Katinji does not suit the coach’s tactics in the matches against Namibia and Tunisia, it does not justify completely dropping him from the squad.
He said: “It’s goals that matter in the game and strikers who score goals are placed ahead of those who don’t.
