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Flames captain Dares rvg on cosafa

 

Flames captain Limbikani Mzava says Malawi should send a squad of TNM Super League players only to the 2018 Council for Southern Africa Football Association (Cosafa) Cup next month.

The Golden Arrows defender said Malawi should borrow a leaf from other Cosafa member states  who use the regional tournament to expose up-and-coming talent.

The Flames skipper’s sentiments come after coach Ronny van Geneugden (RVG) indicated that he would love to have foreign-based players in his Cosafa squad.

Mzava: RVG doesn’t need us at Cosafa Cup

Mzava said: “I know there is pressure from people there for Malawi to bring results from the Cosafa Cup and the coach feels he needs to have us foreign-based players. People should understand that results are not always important, we also need to look at development of the team.

“I don’t think [taking us to Cosafa Cup] is necessary. The Cosafa Cup is the only chance of TNM Super League players getting exposed as you are aware that the tournament attracts scouts from all over the world. We are already comfortable and we don’t need this exposure.”

Last year, RVG called a squad of both local and foreign-based players, but only took locals to the tournament after the foreign clubs refused to release players.

Meanwhile, the Flames mentor, who is expected to name his Cosafa Cup squad next week, said the technical panel would discuss the issue.

“What I can say now is that I want to take a strong squad to Cosafa Cup. But on which players will be in the squad, the technical panel will meet and decide,” he said.

But soccer analyst Charles Nyirenda also felt RVG should give local players a chance to shine at the Cosafa.

He said: “The Cosafa Cup is largely, a developmental tournament where the region’s unpolished gems are discovered. Most of the senior national team players in the region were exposed at Cosafa Cup.”

The Flames’ past and present players such as Esau Kanyenda, Joseph Kamwendo, Chiukepo Msowoya, Russell Mwafulirwa and Mzava, honed their skills at the Cosafa Cup.

Cosafa chief executive Sue Mennell has often stressed that the tournament is for developmental purposes, designed to be staged between May and June just before the African Cup of Nations qualifiers.

The Flames face Cameroon and Morocco in 2019 B Afcon qualifiers in September and the Cosafa Cup is the last opportunity for the Flames to fine-tune  for the games. n

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