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Ng’onamo’s long route to success

When it comes to African football industry, the traffic is usually two-way. Mass exports of players to Europe on one hand and mass imports of European coaches to Africa on the other.

But Eddington Ng’onamo has defied that conventional wisdom. And he is not Nigerian, Ghanaian, Egyptian or South African, but Malawian. Yes, from the landlocked country widely considered the backwater of world football.

In the last seven years, Ng’onamo has been travelling from Malawi,  currently ranked 90 on Fifa ranking, to coach in Denmark ranked 10th as of September 20 2012.

Early this year, Ng’onamo spent three months at third-tier Danish side AIK 65 Stroby training their coaches and drilling footballers. Danish coach Kim Splidsboel put in a good word to his countrymen on Ng’onamo’s rare abilities. Ng’onamo has also coached B93, among others.

What’s in Ng’onamo?

He was Splidsboel’s assistant, late in his tenure with the Flames between 2000 and 2002. The Dane has never forgotten 54-year-old Ng’onamo, whose background is that of a physical education teacher.

“From day one, I knew we were speaking the same language,” noted the Dane.

“The clubs here in Denmark sponsor his visits. Most of the times, they want him to stay longer, but it is not possible due to home affairs regulations on foreigners,” Splidsboel explained.

On his visit to Malawi in 2006, an AIK 65 top official spoke highly about Ng’onamo, noting that he brings “an extra dimension to our coaching, injecting some music and dancing, the demand that he comes to Denmark starts from the players.”

A return ticket to Denmark costs $900 (about K200 000) and his sponsorship includes accommodation and food for three months, then you get a sense that the Danes must have seen something special in this heavily-built man who walks and speaks with authority.

“Eddie comes here to learn, but over and above that, he brings to the clubs rare coaching regimes that add value such as rhythm, balance and agility which typical African players possess but European players lack,” said Splidsboel.

“For me, it was a way of giving back to Malawi football. His combined knowledge of African and European football has transformed Bullets. Ng’onamo has improved from being an assistant coach, FAM technical director to now his own man,” he said.

A father of six sons, Ng’onamo has turned around the fortunes of an otherwise wobbly giant Big Bullets, winning them the Presidential Cup on Saturday after beating Moyale Barracks 1-0.

It was the first time since 2005 that Bullets have laid their hands on a worthwhile trophy.

Ng’onamo first saved Bullets from relegation last season. He later took them to the final of the Fellowship Association of Malawi (Fama) Cup and on Saturday, he went one better. Bullets family is yet to wake up to this pleasant reality, which the trailblazing coach sums up as “the greatest moment of my careers.”

His feat

What makes Ng’onamo’s feat incredible is that in 2008, he also won a Charity Shield with Mighty Wanderers and when they beat Bullets 2-1 in a TNM Super League fixture two months ago, the fans turned on him.

“They are issuing serious threats, accusing me of being a Wanderers symphathiser. I am a professional coach. I coach in Europe and if this continues, I will quit,” Ng’onamo told the press at Bullets Clubhouse as pressure against him became unbearable.

Patience prevailed and Ng’onamo beat Wanderers 1-0 to win the Carlsberg Malawi Charity Shield, sowing the seeds for the grander Presidential Cup success.

He has now won over the difficult-to-please Bullets fans and the Malinda Chinyama-led executive committee which has seen Meke Mwase, Dave Mpesi and Gilbert Chirwa sacked as coaches before he took over the team.

“He is mature and different from the others in a sense that he understands our environment, the challenges we face. He readjusts, instead of complaining. He even brings own equipment for training,” Chinyama said.

His one on one approach

It is Thursday at Bullets training ground at Saint Andrews Primary School ground. I spot Ng’onamo from a distance observing his assistant Gerald Phiri Senior at work. At the training, Ng’onamo chats with the players one by one.

“That is my philosophy. I tell them their strengths and weaknesses and how to improve. The first thing I did when I took over was to eliminate gossiping to create a healthy and transparent environment,” said the man who also worked for Lilongwe Escom, Blue Eagles, Tigers and Kamuzu Institute for Sports.

One of Bullets senior players James Chilapondwa feels refreshed with this approach.

“We also appreciate more his influence on the team when we are playing. He is the last to be agitated,” said Chilapondwa.

His future

Obviously, the CCAP faithful has hope for bigger things in his career. “I am working towards the Pro Licence, then coaching full time in Denmark would be a possibility. There are teams that want me back.”

This coach might, after all, reshape African-European football landscape.

Among Ng’onamo’s papers is a coaching diploma, a Uefa B and a Preparatory Pro Licence.

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