Silver, Bullets in CAF tourneys
TNM Super League giants Silver Strikers and Nyasa Big Bullets will take Malawi’s slots in 2019 Confederation of Africa Football (CAF) competitions, Football Association of Malawi has confirmed.
Nyasa Big Bullets will participate in next year’s edition of CAF Champions League while Silver Strikers are vying for the Confederations Cup.
The two sides have already started processing registration which closes on October 15.
Football Association of Malawi (FAM) club licensing manager Casper Jangale confirmed that Malawi’s two slots in CAF competitions will be filled by Bullets and Silver.
He said: “As you are aware Malawi has two slots—one for Champions League and one for Confederations Cup. Eligibility of which club can participate is based on last season’s performance. In this case, 2017 TNM Super League champions Be Forward Wanderers [who participated in Champions league last year] are eligible for the Champions League slot. In case they fail, the runners-up Bullets may take up the spot.
“As for the Confederations Cup, Kamuzu Barracks are eligible for winning Fisd Challenge Cup. Next on the line are Bullets for winning Carlsberg Cup while Silver are third. In this case, Wanderers are not participating so the Champions League slot goes to Bullets. Kamuzu Barracks are not interested in Confederations Cup, so Bullets are eligible. But since they [Bullets] are participating in Champions League, Silver are next on the list.”
But if the eligible teams were not interested, the slots could have been open to any team that meets the requirements, according to Jangale.
“Masters Security, who participated in last year’s Confederation Cup, have informally expressed interests to join Confederations Cup, but they can only be considered if Silver fail to participate,” he said.
Silver general secretary Thabo Chakaka-Nyirenda said they already submitted their expression of interest to FAM.
“We are ready to participate in the CAF Confederations Cup. In fact we wanted to participate in Champions League but we were told Bullets are next on the line; we had to go for Confederations Cup. Our sponsors already assured us of full funding for the competitions,” he said.
Silver last participated in CAF completion in 1993 when they were knocked out by Arsenal of Lesotho in Africa Cup Winners Cup.
Bullets, on the other hand, last participated in CAF competitions in 2015 when they were eliminated by Sudan’s Al-Hilal.
Meanwhile, Council for Southern Africa Football Associations (Cosafa) deputy chief executive officer Suzgo Nyirenda has commended the clubs for the initiative.
“Malawi football cannot improve if they [clubs] do not participate in such continental competitions,” he said.
He, however, warned the teams to prepare thoroughly for such competitions.
“They need to compete not just participate. With a good preparations and a good budget this is possible,” he said. n
