Let him go

Tom Sangala February 13, 2017

274 1 minute read

Be Forward Wanderers’ Coach, Yasin Osman, has said while he wants Joseph Kamwendo to stay put at the Lali Lubani Road, the influential midfielder must not be forced to do so.

“I have not talked to him but the General Secretary [Mike Butao] and Team Manager [Steve Madeira] did. Unfortunately, there is no middle ground as he has two years remaining on his contract and the club also has its interests to protect,” Osman said.

“At the end of the day, we also need to look at the player’s interest. He might not deliver if we force him to stay. He might not give 100 percent. There is a saying that you can take a horse to a river but you cannot force it to drink.”

Kamwendo resigned from Wanderers two weeks ago after accusing the team of breaching his contract.

He eventually changed tune that he wants to relocate to Lilongwe and be closer to his ill mother in Mchinji District.

But Osman has said he was looking at plan B on Kamwendo’s possible replacement, adding that he had recommended to management a new signing.

“Even though I would like Joseph to stay, I am sure that in the event that he leaves, we will be able to replace him. There are players such as Rafik Namwela, Rafik Musa, Felix Zulu and Ernest Tambe, who can replace Joseph. In football players come and go,” Osman added.

Former Wanderers defenders Wilton Kaunda and Ojukwu Malunga separately gave their opinions on Kamwendo’s saga.

“He is still contracted to Wanderers and there should be clauses that must be respected by both parties. However, football is a short-term career. Once players retire they become destitute. So if the move away from Wanderers would earn Joseph more money, let him go and make money,” Kaunda said.

However, Malunga said Kamwendo’s boots would be too big to fill Wanderers should reach a compromise with him and meet his demands.

Butao told The Daily Times last week that they cannot release Kamwendo to join a Lilongwe team on loan as Wanderers cannot benefit anything from such a move.

“I wish to advise you that you have a running contract with Be Forward Wanderers and Be Forward Wanderers have no intention of releasing you as you are still part of our plans,” Butao said when reacting to Kamwendo’s resignation.

A running contract can be terminated if a player has not played for his club in 10 percent of games in a season and when there are serious contract breaches.

Both situations do not apply in the case of Kamwendo who has in his career also had contracts terminated at Nordsjaelland FC (Denmark), TP Mazembe (the Democratic Republic of Congo) and Liga Desportivo de Maputo (Mozambique).

Meanwhile, Football Association of Malawi has since charged Masters Security FC with player-tapping as they have been linked with Kamwendo.