Army, police players should have made Cecafa team

The beauty of football is that every Jim and Jack thinks they have a better idea of how the game should be handled on and off the pitch. And if you are FAM, everyone thinks they can run the institution better.

I am neither Jim nor Jack but it is in the very same spirit that I once again fault FAM’s decision to forgo this year’s Cecafa Senior Challenge which Kenya is hosting from November 27 to December 12 2013.

I find the decision, made hundreds of kilometres away in Mzuzu at FAM’s recent executive committee meeting, as ill-advised, ill-timed and one that might take the Flames hundreds of steps backwards.

I argued on this very same column in May this year that FAM should have aimed at participation in both the 2013 Cosafa Senior Challenge Cup and the Cecafa Cup and offer promising players a rare bite of international football.

Surely, if the Flames cannot honour invitations to a competition which offers free accommodation and return air tickets for, at least, 18 players, then we have no business participating in Africa Cup of Nations and the World Cup qualifiers.

FAM should have sent a developmental team to Kenya and convince selected players that there are no bonuses attached but that the trip is for the benefit of their  careers and that they would share prize money that teams earn from the semi-final stage.

I know many gems of players who are dying to represent the country and FAM should have simply made them put in writing their commitment to play for free.

Alternatively, FAM should have sought the help of the Malawi Defence Force and the Malawi Police Service to make available quality players who work as soldiers and police officers to go to Kenya on duty.

After all, even after the so-called better preparations, the Flames have in the last three Cecafa editions failed to get past the quarter-final stage.

Blue Eagles, Mafco, Red Lions, Kamuzu Barracks, Cobbe Barracks and

Moyale Barracks can pool players for a developmental side. The Army and Police have quality players such as Dave Banda, Harvey Nkacha, Lemani Nthala, McDonald Harawa, Gastin Simkonda, Ken Mponda, Boniface Kaulesi, John Banda, Micium Mhone and Phillip Masiye.