FAM diverts funds for Scorchers’ expat coach

Football Association of Malawi (FAM) has shelved plans to hire an expatriate coach for the Scorchers after diverting funds meant for the same towards women’s national teams’ participation in international tournaments.

FAM says funds meant for hiring an expatriate coach were diverted towards the Scorchers’ participation at the Cosafa Women’s Championship and 2022 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations’ qualifiers as well as the Under-20 Women’s World Cup qualifiers.

FAM president Walter Nyamilandu confirmed the development, saying it was one of the issues that the postponed association’s executive committee quarterly meeting was supposed to discuss on Saturday.

He said: “We had to ensure that the national women’s teams took part in international engagements for continuity sake.

“As it is, we will review the situation to see how best this can be managed because the long term development of women’s football is very important.

“Most likely the decision to recruit the women’s coach will be differed to next year when funds will be available.”

Nyamilandu also justified the decision to hire an expatriate at a time when local coaches McNelbert Kazuwa and Andrew Chikhosi have shown potential by guiding the Scorchers to the Cosafa Women’s Championship final for the first time.

He said: “Of course, they did a commendable job, but there is need for better organisation of the women’s national teams with a sound tactical discipline and a focussed approach to the development of women’s football.

“The Scorchers are our crown jewels and there is loads of potential to take us to the World Cup easily.

“To make meaningful progress, women’s football needs dedicated resources and capability to support them.”

Nyamilandu also said experience has shown that sharing resources and capability works to the disadvantage of women’s football.

“They need to be treated separately so that there is more attention being made to their needs and requirements.

National Women’s Football Association chairperson Suzgo Ngwira, who is also a FAM executive committee member, also supported the decision.

She said: “Of course, we will still pursue the issue because we need an expatriate coach because we are looking beyond the national team.

“An expatriate will also to help us set up the structures and come up with a clear pholosophy.

“But then it would have been pointless to hire one when there are no international engagements anytime soon.”