Where Flames expatriate coaches go
Some 19 months have proved too long a spell in football for Zambia.
Across the western borders, a lot has happened to rightfully contrast a footballing nation from a pretender such as Malawi.
Since that Gabon night of dreams when the Chipolopolo made peace with their departed heroes in 2012, the Zambians have ascended on the cliff of football joy and instantly flirted with a scare or two.
From winning the Africa Cup of Nations on the Gabon shores, flirting with a mini-crisis at the subsequent edition in South Africa, successfully staging and winning resuscitated Cosafa Castle Cup to being awarded hosting rights for Africa Youth Championship last month, the Zambia have established themselves as a force to be reckoned with in Africa.
Now the Zambians are digesting the departure of their own Magical One Herve Renard.
The Zambia Football Association leadership, in true gentleman’s spirit, parted ways with their double cup-winning coach in safe knowledge that while they will undoubtedly miss the astute tactician, they can, at least, pat themselves on the back for producing a coach worth managing a top European club.
Because Herve was a quality coach, Zambia government and that country’s mining sector met his and assistant coach Patrice Beaumelle total $100 000 (K36 million) monthly salary.
You know where Renard now is? He has been hired by French Ligi 1 side Sochaux FC. It says a lot about the quality of the ex-Ghana’s Black Stars’ assistant coach.
But come to think of where the Flames expatriate coaches go on return to Europe. They either go coach in the backwaters of world football or are unemployed. It says about their quality.
“I’ve been unemployed since late February, when I left the Cypriot top division side, Ethnikos Achna… Being out of work is a horrible feeling. I’ve got a wife, three kids, a mortgage. But it’s not just money – I miss the game. If I could afford to, I’d work for free.
Football is my life, but it’s harder than ever to find a job,” former Flames’ English coach Stephen Constantine wrote recently in his column for the UK’s Daily Mail.
Most expatriate coaches FAM hired are not worth the tag. It is all about going for cheap labour.
Therefore, if Malawi wants a worthwhile expatriate coach in Renard’s mould, the country must be prepared to dig dipper.
