RVG fate friday
Football Association of Malawi (FAM) technical subcommittee will meet this Friday to review coach Ronny van Geneugden’s (RVG) performance before making a recommendation to the executive committee.
The development follows the expiry of RVG’s two-year contract as national football coach yesterday.
The technical subcommittee head James Mwenda, who is also FAM vice-president, yesterday said the executive will, in turn, meet the following day, Saturday, to decide on the way forward.
He said: “It has been agreed that we [technical subcommittee] will meet this Friday to, among other things, assess the coach’s performance before making the necessary recommendations to the executive.
“Now, it is only the executive committee that has the powers to make a final determination. That is all I can say for now.”
On the key areas to be used by the technical committee in the Belgian tactician’s assessment, the FAM veep said: “We will clearly outline that in due course.”
FAM faces a race against time to have a coach in place ahead of Flames’ preparations for the 2019 Championship of African nations (Chan) qualifier against e-Swatini’s Sihlangu slated for April 20.
However, FAM president Walter Nyamilandu last week said there is no need to panic as the association will ensure that there is no vacuum.
“Whatever the outcome, we will ensure that there is no vacuum when we face e-Swatini,” he said.
On his part, RVG said the ball was in FAM’s court.
“The issue about who will be the coach is not important. As I said, what is important is that this team of young senior players that played against Morocco together with the Under-23 side should be maintained as one group.
“It will be disappointing that after all the hard work and direction that we took as a technical panel to build a strong future Flames, the team is discarded.”
RVG also added that he had “two to three offers and opportunities that I have to consider”.
Under his tenure, the Flames played 21 games, winning two, losing eight and drawing 11. But he insists that for the first two games, which the Flames drew against Kenya 0-0 before losing 0-1 to Madagascar, he was just an observer.
The last time the Flames registered a win under his tutelage was one and a half years ago against Togo’s Hawks. n
