K12 million for expatriate coach

Tom Sangala June 23, 2015

518 2 minutes read

Football Association of Malawi (Fam) has planned to spend a maximum of $30,000 (about K12. 7 million) a month on the salary of an expatriate coach who will get the Flames job the association is expected to advertise soon.

Fam general secretary, Suzgo Nyirenda, said on Sunday that even though the association had not yet called for applications, 31 foreign coaches had already sent their Curriculum Vitae (CVs) and expressed interest in the Flames job.

Among the 31 coaches, eight are from the African continent while 23 are from Europe.

“We expect more to show interest once the advert is out in the papers. They have seen the support that we have provided to the coaches. It is not that every coach can apply. For instance, in Zambia they were looking for a coach, but only four applied. But here a lot of people have seen the support we give to the coaches,” he said.

Nyirenda, however, said the association was looking forward to government’s support on the hiring of the new coach.

“I am not saying we are employing an expatriate coach, but if a foreign coach is shortlisted for the job, we are looking forward to government’s support as usual. We have already given them the value of most of the coaches on the market. It is about $15,000- $30,000 (K8.5 million-K12.7 million) per month. We expect something closer to that. Sometimes they bring their own backroom staff, people they work with,” he said.

Nyirenda added that Fam would also focus on the coaches’ long-term plan to give local coaches a chance to service the national team in the future.

“In this plan a local coach can understudy the expatriate. This can happen. We already saw the results when Kinnah Phiri was an understudy of Bukhard Ziese. Phiri took the Flames to the Africa Cup of Nations finals in 2010. We expect that if an expatriate is successful, a local coach will understudy him,” he said.

Nyirenda added that the association would also work closely with the National Coaches’ Committee to scrutinise the coaches so that the right candidate could be picked.

Meanwhile, director of sports in the Ministry of Youth and Sports, Jameson Ndalama, said the Ministry would provide financial support for the hiring of a new coach.

“As usual, the Ministry supports Fam just like any sports association. I cannot say in my personal capacity whether we will or will not support the hiring of an expatriate coach. We will wait for Fam’s proposal on the new coach and the proposal will be sent to all relevant authorities for a decision to be made,” he said.

Ernest Mtawali is the Flames’ caretaker coach after Young Chimodzi and Jack Chamangwana were sent on forced leave and were told by Fam that their contracts would not be renewed after they expire on July 31, 2015.

Fam said it had lost confidence in the coaches after spending K105 million to help the Flames prepare for the Cosafa Cup and the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers which proved to be disastrous assignment for the Flames.