Escom chair threatens to quit

With the issue of three key players that were loaned to Big Bullets FC seemingly headed for a listless conclusion, frustration has taken its toll on Escom United chairperson Fanuel Nkhono who has threatened to quit football administration.

This comes in the wake of a recent declaration by the Super League of Malawi (Sulom) that Escom do not own the players because they were offloaded by the club and that their contracts expired at the end of last year; hence, they automatically became free agents.

In an e-mail sent to The Nation on Wednesday, Sulom vice-general secretary Captain Thoko Chazema stated that: “Sulom records indicate that the players were offloaded by Escom United and that their contracts expired on December 31 2012.

“However, Sulom can help to mediate on the issue in a bid to resolve the misunderstanding.”

But Nkhono was not amused by the latest development

“It is not true that the three players’ contracts expired. Their contracts are still running. The problem in Malawi is that clubs do not want to pay for services of a good player and would rather get them for free.

“With such attitudes, the worth of a player cannot improve at all and some of us, who have other things to do, would rather step aside and let mediocrity continue in Malawi’s game of football,” said Nkhono.

He added that it is a pity that while some teams are spending resources to nurture and develop talent, others want to reap where they did not sow.

Nkhono claimed that Bullets even signed forms consenting to the deal to use the players specifically for the Presidential Cup.

“Mr Higger Mkandawire did that on behalf of Big Bullets,” said Nkhono.

The three players’ loan periods expired at the end of August, but Bullets have continued to feature them on the basis that negotiations are ongoing.

Escom are demanding K6 million (about $20 000) as transfer fee which Bullets claim is on the higher side.