Malawi police hire 16 Blue Eagles players
Cup specialists Blue Eagles have gone out of their way to motivate players, earmarking 16 of them as Malawi Police Service (MPS) recruits, including Flames prodigy Micium Mhone.
Eagles chairperson George Kainja on Monday said they want to motivate the players for them to win silverware next season. The cops finished the last campaign empty-handed.
“Looking at how we performed last season, one would expect changes looking at our players and our coaching panel in terms of motivation. We have good players, but we want them to be motivated; hence, we have put 16 on police payroll.
“Those that have basic requirements such as height, physique, health and an MSCE will undergo training to become police officers while the rest will be under the armpit of the police in terms of their salary,” said Kainja.
Eagles have 30 players. The 16 would join existing player-police officers such as captain John ‘CJ’ Banda, Schumacher Kuwali, Alpheous Nyoni, Phillip Masiye, Elia Msukwa, Ken Mponda, Gilbert Chirwa, Rodney Chirwa, Chimwemwe Chitedze and Reuben Kaunda.
“Management is yet to communicate to us on the latest developments, but indeed most players have started working. We thank management for this motivation. We need to pay back and the best way to do that is to win something. It hurt last season playing well without a trophy to show off,” said Banda.
Other civilian players that have converted into police officers are international defender Steve Chagoma, Elia Kabingu, Chimwemwe Kalanje, Dan Phiri, Ongani Ngulube, Stuart Mbonge, Chisomo Chalasa, Charles Ngosi and Amadou Ali.
In the short-term, Eagles performance might suffer as the 16 will have to undergo mandatory six-month training at the Police Training School in Kanjedza, Blantyre. But Kainja said they have plan B.
“We have some 12 players within our system who are not playing competitively and we will bring them back. We may also have to look outside the system. For the coaching panel, we may have to also look outside and identify someone who can support coach Derklerk Msakakuona following the appointment of Young Chimodzi as Flames coach,” said Kainja.
Ngosi, formerly of Admarc Tigers, Big Bullets and MTL Wanderers, on Monday said he was now determined to see off his career at Eagles as he was assured of some better life after retirement.
The cops had in recent years cemented reputation as cup specialists winning trophies such as Carlsberg Cup and Standard Bank Knockout Trophy. The Malawi Defence Force also motivates its players by promoting them once they win silverware.
