Russell Mwafulirwa learning coaching ropes in Sweden
Former Malawi national football team striker, Rusell Mwafulirwa, is in Sweden for a two-month coaching course.
Speaking in an interview from the European country Wednesday, Mwafulirwa said his former club, IFK Norrkoping, was hosting him.
“I am back at my former club but in a different capacity. I would like to strengthen my coaching credentials through being attached to Norrkoping. Everything started off quite well but the suspension of sporting activities across the globe due to Covid-19 pandemic has had an effect on my project,” he said.
The former Jomo Cosmos and Ajax Cape Town (both South African clubs) forward said after the course, he would return home to help in the development of the local game.
“I have been in football for a long time as a player and I want to move on to coaching. I have been looking forward to this chance and I am not letting it slip though my fingers. I believe that I can make a good coach if I get the chance,” Mwafulirwa said.
The gangling retired goal poacher, who also played for French sides Saint Etienne, Crox de Savior and Amiens on loan from Cosmos from 2004 to 2006 before joining Ajax Cape Town, said he has plans to form a club upon his return.
“I have identified players from different parts of the Northern Region and I will set up this club in Mzuzu. Football Association of Malawi has also done well to re-introduce regional technical structures which have helped me to scout talent in remote areas. I went to Mzuzu in 2013 for my football project and got a chance to work with Mzuni [now Mzuzu Warriors].
“I doubled as a coach and a player. It was not an outright contract and I was not involved much in the playing. I was only coming in when the match was tough to help the young players. During that time, I visited several rural teams to appreciate talent. This helped me to pick several youngsters for my project,” he said.
Mwafulirwa was part of the Flames squad that qualified for the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations finals in Angola under former coach Kinnah Phiri.
