Sulom plans mid-week games
Super League of Malawi (Sulom) says some matches will be played during mid-week when the top-flight league resumes to make up for the lost time.
Sulom president Tiya Somba-Banda said having lost out during the current break, it is imperative that some matches should be scheduled for mid-week.
He said: “Teams should expect mid-week games so that we salvage the time we have lost.
“It is rather not a business as usual season, so there are bound to be changes here and there.’
But while welcoming the move, some teams which The Nation spoke to yesterday, said there is need to exercise caution to avoid unnecessary controversies and player fatigue.
Nyasa Big Bullets chief administration officer Albert Chigoga said: “It is a good idea, otherwise if this is not done, the season could prolong unnecessarily.
“This is an unusual season due to Covid-19. It is an unfortunate situation that we need to embrace as further prolonging of the league could also affect clubs’ budgets.
“However, we hope Sulom will do their homework and avoid situations whereby some teams play more games than others.
“There is also need to ensure that players are given proper recovery time. That is to say, for example, if a team plays on Wednesday, its next fixture should be on Saturday.”
In his reaction, Tigers FC technical director Robin Alufandika said: “Considering the time we have lost, the arrangement is good as long as players are given enough time to rest.”
Wanderers general secretary Victor Maunde also said they have no problem with Sulom’s plans provided the fixtures do not take a toll on the players.
But Civil Service (Civo) United general secretary Ronald Chiwaula had a sifferent view, saying: “I think Sulom are being over ambitious.
“For example, what if a team like Ekwendeni or Chitipa United comes to play in Blantyre during mid-week, will they have to wait for weekend to play another fixture or they will just be coming to play one game? Those are the areas they need to critically look into.”
On January 19, Sulom suspended the top-flight league for three weeks to observe the newly-gazetted Covid-19 prevention laws announced by the Presidential Task Force on Covid-19 which restricts public gathering to 50 people.
Football Association of Malawi has since proposed to government that TNM Super League games should resume on February 24 with a waiver of 98 people at every match, arguing that restricting gathering to 50 people at a match renders organisation impossible because at the bare minimum, an elite football match requires 98 people in accordance with Fifa and CAF match guidelines.
