Know your TNM Super League teams
With the domestic football pride, TNM Super League’s 2016 edition getting in motion Saturday, Malawi News Sports Desk brings to you the readily-available squads for each of the confirmed 14 participating teams.
The league is supposed to have 16 teams as agreed during Super League of Malawi’s (Sulom) last November’s assembly in Lilongwe.
However, the identity of the remaining two sides and where they will come from remains uncertain due to several administrative challenges piling on the doorstep of Sulom.
The league’s governing body has a mammoth task of finding a replacement for Chilumba Barracks FC, who pulled out last week with the second option, Karonga United, also caught up in club owner, Willy Yabwanya Phiri’s injunction case that might compromise his involvement in football.
Sulom is also grappling with uncertainty surrounding the play-offs that were initially meant to identify a 16th team among Wizards, Dedza Young Soccer and Airborne Rangers.
However, Dedza Young Soccer have withdrawn after a bitter court battle against Sulom, whereas Airborne Rangers are as good as disbanded.
Even if Rangers were available, Malawi Defence Force’s (MDF) decision against increasing their Super League presence, means that the club would not have been allowed to play in the play-offs.
MDF wants a maximum of three teams in the top-flight and it currently has four—Red Lions, Mafco, Kamuzu Barracks and Moyale Barracks.
Therefore, the actual final number of Super League teams for 2016 season remains a subject of guess work.
However, there is no doubt that defending champions, Nyasa Big Bullets will be the team to beat whereas promoted Max Bullets and Dwangwa United from the Southern and Central regions respectively have their work cut out in the league.
On the individual front, players such as Brighton Munthali of Silver Strikers, Be Forward Wanderers’ Genki Nakamura and Bullets’ Muhammad Sulumba will be among those to watch. There are also some potential good players such as Peter Cholopi and Martin Chongwe of Tigers, whereas Bullets’ Mike Mkwate cannot be ruled out. Among the coaches, Millias Pofera of Civo United has a lot to prove after leaving Dedza Young Soccer.
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