SA clubs shun Malawi again

South African soccer transfer window closed last Friday, completing a second season without registering a Malawian player.

Unlike in the past, when two or more players could sign for the two top-tier leagues, these past two seasons have seen the few who have gone for trials fail to break the glass ceiling.

Instead, players are trekking to Mozambique, where about 10 of them have attended trials during the current transfer window and three of them have been signed.

The last Malawian to be signed by a South African team was GabadinhoMhango, who joined Premier Soccer League (PSL) side Bloemfontein Celtic in 2012.

Since then, players such as Gastin Simkonda, Lucky Malata, Chawanangwa Kaonga, Sankhani Mkandawire and Miracle Gabeya have had unsuccessful trials in their quest to break into ‘shibobo.’

Veteran local player agent Ben Chiwaya and Ernest Mtawali who played in the South African flagship league for 15 years with stints in Italy, Argentina, France and UAE in between, said the PSL has now become very competitive as it is attracting more players from West Africa and even Europe, crowding out average players from countries such as Malawi.

“The PSL is one of the richest leagues on the continent, so lucrative that it is attracting good players from West Africa and that is why lately, it has become a tall order for our players to make the grade. One has to be quite exceptional to make it.

“The other factor is that there was a time in the last couple of years when we neglected our development system and that, too, has played a part in that we might have had the talent but the players would struggle with the basics. Players such as Peter Mponda, Esau Kanyenda, Robert Ng’ambi, Fischer Kondowe, Peter Mgangira, Joseph Kamwendo, Peter Wadabwa and LimbikaniMzava made it because they went through the proper development structures and it was easy for them to adapt in South Africa,” said Chiwaya.

Mtawali said South African clubs’ interest in foreign players is dwindling because the general rule of thumb among PSL coaches now is that a foreigner signed must be better than local choices available.

“It is an advantage to them in two ways—firstly, it is cost-effective and then it also gives a chance to local [South African] players because already there is an unofficial policy to concentrate on exposing local talent.

“So, it is now up to Malawian players those that are there to make a huge impression by being consistent so as to sway the coaches to develop interest in other Malawian players,” said Mtawali, who recently facilitated trials for Gabeya and fellow Under-20 international Ernest Tambe at Celtic.

He added: “It is not that we do not have talent. It is there in abundance, but then to get an opportunity of being considered is now proving hard and Mozambique has become an easy option for our players, which is sad because while the perks are good there, we are losing out in terms of player exposure and that is why it is important to explore other markets such as lower European leagues.”

Apart from Gabeya and Tambe, Mtawali has over the years facilitated trials for players such as Chance Gondwe, the late Jonathan Lungu, Gift Zakazaka, Mgangira and ZiccoMkanda.

A recent edition of South Africa’s Kickoff magazine reported that 96 players born outside South Africa are registered in the PSL this season.

James Nelito-Pondomale, who has brokered most of the deals for Malawian players in Mozambique, said the openings in Mozambique have provided solace to Malawian footballers.

“Others might argue that the standards of football in Mozambique are not any better than locally, but I beg to differ. The standards that side have improved tremendously and the league is very competitive and professional because the perks are good and it attracts players from countries like Zambia and Zimbabwe as well,” he said.

Frank Banda, Charles Swini and Kaonga have signed for Mozambican clubs during the current transfer window whereas others such as Peter Kasonga, Blessings Tembo and Mike Kaziputa are attending trials.

Other big-name Malawian players plying their trade in Mozambique include Chimango Kayira, Simplex Nthala and Mkanda

A FAM technical sub-committee meeting that involved all national team coaches at the weekend, noted with concern that Malawian players’ market is now only in Mozambique where a number of key and promising players are flocking to. Moses Mkandawire who heads the committee described the development as retrogressive.

To that effect, a special committee comprising FAM GS [SuzgoNyirenda], Mtawali, Flames assistant coach Jack Chamangwana and technical director John Kaputa was set up to look into that matter.