Msungama says Dave, Lungu need counselling

Renowned soccer players’ agent Kondie Msungama has said there is need for either FAM or Sulom to seriously consider introducing a special body to play an advisory role to players pertaining to their careers.

He said this in the wake of his clients Dave Banda and Grant Lungu whose careers are in jeopardy due to disciplinary issues.

Msungama said he believes Banda and Lungu failed to cope with the harsh reality after their contracts were terminated at South African Premier Soccer League (PSL) side Black Leopards.

Banda was recently involved in serious disciplinary issues with both the Flames and Red Lions that affected his place in the national team while Lungu was also off-loaded by Bullets on disciplinary grounds.

Banda has since been transferred to another Malawi Defence Force side Kamuzu Barracks while Lungu is trying to revive his career at lower league side Thondwe United with the hope of returning to Bullets in the forthcoming season.

“My view is that both Dave and Grant have psychological problems that came about following the termination of their contracts at Leopards.

“It is unfortunate that when these players sign for foreign clubs, they discard their personal managers like myself who can offer them personal advice on how to handle themselves.

“In such circumstances, they need counselling so that they can pick themselves up and move on with their careers when things go wrong and my view is that either Football Association of Malawi (FAM) or Super League of Malawi (Sulom) should come up with advisory bodies to counsel players regarding their careers,” said Msungama.

The flamboyant players manager also suggested that even clubs can initiate such a move.

“I am very concerned with what happened to Dave and Grant, but such things happen even to big-name players and all they need is counselling for them to successfully relaunch their careers.

“We are talking about two supremely gifted players here whose careers have been under threat because they were not properly guided on the way forward,” he said.

Msungama, who in the past has also managed a number of local big-name players such as Peter Mponda, Fischer Kondowe, Swadick Sanudi, Allan Kamanga, Bernard Harawa and Charles Kalaile said he will make an effort to meet the two players and advise them that all is not lost.

But while hailing Msungama’s suggestion, Sulom president Innocent Bottomani said such moves need to be initiated at club level.

“It is a brilliant idea, but then it has to start at club level. The other thing is that most of the players now have their personal managers and our assumption is that they are the ones who are supposed to handle that.

“But it is good food for thought and we’ll take it up at executive level to see how it can be handled,” said Bottomani.

Meanwhile, Lungu has said he signed a short-term contract with Thondwe United to work on his fitness.

“I joined them [United] on the advice from my longtime good friend Rahim Ishmail with the intention to relaunch my career before I can return to Bullets where I have been given another chance after sorting out the disciplinary issue I had with them,” said Lungu.