APM seeks more clarification on coach

President Peter Mutharika has sought clarification on Football Association of Malawi (FAM) proposal to engage an expatriate coach for the Flames.

Confirming the development yesterday, Minister of Labour, Youth, Sports and Manpower Development Henry Mussa said: “H.E [His Excellency] requested for more information and clarifications which the FAM president Walter [Nyamilandu] is in the course of providing.”

However, the minister could not be drawn to disclose what kind of information and clarification the President had sought, saying: “It is confidential at the moment.”

Although he could not be drawn to comment on when they expect to get the President’s determination, Mussa said it might not take long.

“I cannot speculate how long it is going to take the President to make a determination because [mind you] it is a process that requires a number of consultations.”

On his part, Nyamilandu said: “Indeed we are in talks with the minister on the matter. We have made some clarifications and justified our motivation.

“We have also submitted a cost-sharing proposal,” he said.

According to The Nation findings, FAM has indicated that the level of expatriate coach they are looking for could cost between $10 000 (about K7.3 million) and $15 000 (about K11 million).

FAM faces a race against time to hire a coach ahead of next month’s Championship of African Nations (Chan) preliminary qualifiers against Madagascar.

Nyamilandu recently said if the President will not approve the proposal for an expatriate from outside Africa, the alternative will be to find an expatriate from within the continent.

“This could be relatively cheaper. Failing which [then] we will have to settle for a local coach.