FAM plays tough
- Says 16th team won’t take part in Super League
Football Association of Malawi (FAM) has flexed its muscles saying the 16th team earmarked to play in the Super League next season will not be allowed as it will be way behind the club licensing process.
This follows Super League of Malawi’s (Sulom) U-turn to implement the resolution made at its general assembly in the forthcoming season that the flagship league should comprise 16 teams.
FAM club licensing manager Casper Jangale said with the club licensing process set to close on March 12, there is no way the 16th team can be accommodated.
“One wonders why it has taken Sulom all this time. The team to remain in the Super League has not been identified and worse still, the play-offs are scheduled to run from March 11 to 16 and that automatically means whichever team wins the play-offs cannot fir in,” said Jangale.
He also claimed that Sulom has not officially informed FAM about the 16th teams.
“We have just read about it in the papers today [yesterday].”
Sulom general secretary Williams Banda yesterday said he would only be in a position to comment after meeting FAM.
But earlier this year he told The Nation that the resolution on 16 teams would not be implemented retrospectively.
However, he was quoted by our sister paper Nation on Sunday’s latest edition that during an executive committee meeting held on February 19, it was agreed that the recommendation should be implemented now
Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) seasoned sports journalist Frank Kandu faulted Sulom for the manner in which it has handled the issue.
“They way Sulom has handled the matter is unprofessional to say the least because they had all the time to put things into perspective.
“They were not coming out clearly on the matter. At a certain point they indicated that the resolution would be implemented at the start of the 2017 season,” said Kandu.
He also said the development will put teams such as Wizards and Dedza Young Soccer at a disadvantage having sold some of their key players.
“I do not know how they are going to handle it, but it is problematic.”
Wizards owner Peter Mponda also faulted Sulom on the timing but was quick to point out that they are ready for the play-offs.
