South League warns teams
Southern Region Football Association (SRFA) plans to change its league’s rules and regulations to stop teams that are relegated from the TNM Super League in their first season from getting back into their fold.
But the proposal, which SRFA chairperson Raphael Humba disclosed in Blantyre on Wednesday during the unveiling ceremony of the second-tier league’s K14 million sponsorship from Rab Group of Companies through Thumb Up soft drink brand, has stirred a hornet’s nest among clubs and football analysts, who have described it as a non-starter and against rules of the world’s football governing body, Fifa.
Despite that, Humba insists he has proposed to SRFA committee to amend the second-tier league’s rules and regulations during their Annual General Meeting (AGM) on February 23 to jack up the region’s ambassadors because they are tired of continued under performance in the elite league.
For the past eight seasons, the number of Southern Region teams in the top-flight league has dropped from eight to four and all the region’s relegated teams, since then, have not returned to the elite league. Yet their Central and Northern region counterparts have increased their numbers from four to eight and three to four, respectively, within the same period.
In the just-ended season, the South saw its two representatives Nchalo United and Red Lions facing the chop in the Super League while the Centre had Mafco FC only as the casualties. No team was relegated from the North.
“I believe it is now time to get rid of under-performers in our system, starting with teams that get relegated from the Super League in their first season. They should not be allowed back,” Humba said.
Eshani Wizards, who played in the Super League in 2017, got relegated at the end of that season before settling for position 17 in the 22-team SRFA League Premier Division last season. It is also only new entrants Nyasa Big Bullets Reserves, Ntopwa and Hangover FC that finished within the top-three bracket.
When asked how they would amend the second-tier league’s rules and regulations when rules governing leagues in the world stipulate that a top-flight league team should automatically get a slot in the second-tier league when relegated, Humba said their league’s rules and regulations are formulated by their members and can be changed.
Ntopwa FC owner and team manager Isaac Jomo Osman, whose team has earned Super League promotion as SRFA Premier Division runners-up to champions Nyasa Big Bullets Reserves, said there is no need to change the rules.
“Most teams in the South are self-sponsored and financial challenges are sometimes too much. Nevertheless, as Ntopwa, we will not be relegated at the end of the 2019 season,” he said.
On his part, Wizards owner Peter Mponda said it is important to look at a bigger picture.
He said: “I respect the Humba-led league for the good job they are doing but, sometimes, they should control their excitement. The question is not about the regional league representatives not being competitive in the Super League but weak financial muscle.”
Football Association of Malawi (FAM) competitions and communications director Gomezgani Zakazaka yesterday said they would not comment on the matter until the SRFA presents their proposal to the local soccer governing body.
“We will first look at the proposal before the SRFA assent to it to see if it will be applicable in our system,” he said.
