Losing to SA unacceptable, says Kaliati
Former Malawi netball team coach Edith Kaliati has urged the Queens players to learn to hate any defeat with passion, especially against rivals South Africa’s Spar Proteas.
Kaliati, who retired a few years ago, said this when asked on Friday about her opinion on the Queens’ showing at the Diamond Challenge Netball Series in Durban where Malawi beat Uganda 51-40 and Zambia (60-34) but lost to the South Africans 43-33 and 40-35 during the event that ended on Friday at Ugu Sports Centre.
“They need to learn to die for the nation and realise that it’s unacceptable losing to South Africa. This South Africa is not as strong comparatively. They just have an edge in terms of experience gained through exposure. After this tournament, they will go to England for more matches while our players will be idle at home,” said the former MTL Queens coach.
Speaking before Friday’s final, Kaliati said Queens players are not bad and could mature with more exposure, noting that “they were lacking ideas on how to get past South Africa.”
“I noted that they were, sometimes, shooting when it was not necessary. In some instances, a wing attack had the ball, yet the shooter would be outside the centre circle. These are the things the coach has to work on in training. Indeed, MwawiKumwenda is an asset and she is on another level, but the defeats were not only about her absence. It was about decision-making,” she added.
Malawi is number one team in Africa on rankings followed by South Africa, hence the rivalry. Malawi has now lost five straight matches to South Africa who are ranked sixth in the world whereas the Peace Chawinga women lie fifth globally.
After the Diamonds Challenge, the Queens are likely to renew their rivalries with South Africa at the 2015 Africa Netball Championship which Botswana will host next month followed by the World Cup to be staged in Australia from 7-16 August.
The continental biggest netball event was initially scheduled to take place in Namibia who eventually excused themselves due to logistical challenges.
