FAM says Mwase’s contract could be reviewed

FAM has said it will review Flames coach Meck Mwase’s contract should it expire in the midst of 2022 World Cup and 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

Mwase’s one-year contract expires in February next year.

Confederation of African Football (CAF) suspended all its competitions due to the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic and it is not yet known when they will be rescheduled.

Football Association of Malawi (FAM) president Walter Nyamilandu yesterday said: “The team is currently idle and normal activities will only resume once football restarts locally and internationally.

“Fifa is expected to release a new international football calendar soon and this will determine how soon the Flames will be in action.

“At that material moment, the services of the national team coach will definitely be required and his contract will be reviewed accordingly.

“All I can say is that the overall performance of the coach will have to take into account the impact of Covid-19 on the Flames over this duration. This is beyond the control of everyone else.” 

The FAM president said at this stage, the lack of activity  and long lay off of the Flames due to Covid-19 “will disturb the excellent form that the Flames acquired, having performed extremely well in the Cosafa Cup and qualified to the next phase of the World Cup preliminary rounds”.

He said: “We will need  to devise a robust plan on how the team can gell quickly so that it does not lose its form but continue  from where it left off.”

Early this year, FAM set 2021 Afcon qualification and reaching Cosafa Cup final as the main targets for Mwase.

On his part, Mwase said it will only be fair that his contract should be reviewed if his contract will expire before the qualifiers are completed.

He said: “That would be a fair approach and a win-win situation for both parties towards determining my performance.”