No interviews for expatriate coach

Football Association of Malawi (FAM) has said it will not conduct interviews for Flames’ expatriate coach.

FAM general secretary Alfred Gunda acknowledged that while the normal procedure is to conduct interviews, circumstances have forced them to appoint one.

“Of course, we have short-listed a few, but it is now an issue of who we can afford [among them] in comparison to what we can offer,” he said.

“Negotiations concerning perks are at an advanced stage until we get one who can accept what is on the table.”

The FAM GS also said time is not on their side to conduct interviews as the Flames are expected to start their preparations “as soon as possible”.

Gunda was also optimistic that the process of identifying an expatriate should be through by Friday.

Last week, FAM said they were talking to an unnamed partner who is willing to bankroll the expatriate coach’s package after government turned down the association’s proposal.

Malawi National Council of Sports (MNCS) executive secretary George Jana said he saw no problem with FAM’s arrangement.

“While physical interviews are preferred in recruitment, it is not so much influential in sport for choice of any particular coach to be made.

“The coach’s track record is usually what people will look at to recruit the coach or not. This would apply even for local coaches,” he said.

But renowned sports journalist Madalitso Phiri said: “Quality coaches do not come cheap. And so if FAM wanted a quality expatriate, they should have been prepared to cough a lot other than just going for anyone whom they can afford because it won’t help us.”

The prospective expatriate’s immediate task will be the 2018 Championship of African Nations (Chan) and 2019 Africa Cup of Nations  (Afcon). n