Mwase coy on Flames job

As scores of coaches are scrambling for the Flames coaching job, caretaker coach Meke Mwase is undecided, saying he wants to concentrate on the Cosafa Cup campaign.

Football Association of Malawi (FAM) last week advertised the post targeting both local and expatriates.

Several coaches have shown interest in the job, but Mwase who has so far taken Malawi to the quarter-finals of the 2019 Cosafa Cup for the first time in four years, said his focus is on the Cosafa Cup.

“I will decide. Let me concentrate on the job that I have now,” he said in response on whether he would apply for the job.

FAM general secretary Alfred Gunda said the secretariat was receiving many applications every day.

“The interest has been overwhelming since we placed the vacancy. I may not be able to say how many locals or expatriates have so far applied because we have not yet started sorting them out. But there are plenty of them,” he said.

FAM has targeted Confederation of African Football (CAF) A holders or Uefa Pro and Fifa Pro coaching licence holders.

So far, some expatriates that have shown interest in the job include Jorge Añón De Leon (Uruguay), Fredrico Azolez (Peru) and Vincenzo Alberto Annese (Italy) while South Africa-based Patrick Mabedi is one of the notable local coaches who have applied.

Meanwhile, former Flames assistant coach Gerald Phiri Snr has encouraged local coaches to try their luck.

“I think local coaches are capable of delivering. I would like to encourage them to apply for the job. They should not be scared of these so-called expatriates,. I have worked with several expatriates. They are not special at all. They are just like us. Actually, some local coaches are much better than these expatriates,” he said.

The Flames coaching job fell vacant after FAM decided not to renew Belgian coach Ronny Van Geneugden’s (RVG) two year contract in March.