FAM to decide on Flames coach next month

Football Association of Malawi (FAM) says it is not in a hurry to decide on who will take charge of the Flames ahead of the forthcoming engagements and the executive committee will decide next month.

The Flames are set to regroup next month for a friendly match in preparation for 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) and African Nations Championship (Chan) qualifiers.

FAM executive committee temporarily appointed technical director Mario Marinica to be in charge of the Flames specifically for the 2021 Afcon finals.

In an interview yesterday, the association’s president Walter Nyamilandu said: “We need to make a sober decision and not be in a hurry on who will take charge of the team.

“The priority is to have a coach in place by the time we start the Afcon and Chan qualifiers so that we give whosoever will be chosen sufficient time for preparations.”

The FAM boss said the decision will be made at the next executive committee meeting which is targeted for March.

“So, we should be within schedule, no need to press the panic button,” said Nyamilandu.

On the upcoming Fifa calendar dates between March 21 and 29, the FAM president said they are on the market trying to organise a friendly match.

“We have offers for friendlies which we are weighing, but there are other factors that we need to consider, including finances,” he said.

While Meck Mwase has a running contract as Flames head coach, his demotion to be Marinica’s assistant last December was a hint that his future is uncertain.

And asked then on whether Mwase would revert to be in charge of the Flames after the Afcon tournament, Nyamilandu said it would not be automatic.

He also credited the team’s improved performance at Afcon finals to the changes that were rung in the technical panel, in particular the roping in of Marinica, data analyst Ged Searson and psychologist Clywd Jones.

He said on arrival from Cameroon: “The secret were the changes that were made in the technical panel.

“The team is now able to play with a purpose and proper system. We are now compact and organised unlike in the past when we were playing without a purpose like a school team. “

However, earlier this month Marinica, who guided the Flames to their first-ever Afcon knockout stage, said it would be difficult to say whether he would accept a permanent role.

“That is a very difficult question to answer because, first of all, we have to meet the executive and carry out a post-mortem of the Afcon.”

Mwase, who guided the Flames to their third Afcon qualification, last month said he would go by FAM’s decision as “I am only an employee”.