Football Association of Malawi (Fam) has terminated contracts for Malawi women’s national football team, She-Flames coaches due to poor performance in recent competitions.
The decision to fire the Abel Mkandawire-led coaching panel was made during Fam Executive Committee meeting held at Mpira Village in Blantyre on October 5.
It followed Malawi’s failure to go past Kenya in the 2020 Olympics Qualifiers in August this year after bowing out of the competition on 5-3 aggregate.
Fam has already written letters to all the members of the coaching panel informing them about the decision.
Fam Competitions and Communications Director, Gomegzani Zakazaka, confirmed that the coaches had been fired.
“It is true, we do not have the technical panel for the She-Flames after the Executive Committee agreed to terminate their contracts. From now onwards, the process of engaging a new panel will start because the next assignment will be next year but Caf is yet to release the dates for Afcon qualifiers for Women’s competition,” he said.
The She-Flames technical panel was hired on performance-based contract after Maggie Chombo Sadik was shown the exit door following another disappointing performance during last year’s Cosafa Women’s Championship in Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality in South Africa.
National Women’s Football Association (NWFA) Chairperson, Suzgo Ngwira, said Malawi has talented players but the Mkandawire-led technical panel failed to live up to its expectations.
“The crop of players we have can give us good results and if the results are not coming then we have to try another combination. Malawi has potential to do well because we have talent,” she said.
The Mkandawire-led technical panel comprised Andrew Chikhosi, Macnelbert Kadzuwa as his assistants and goalkeepers trainer, Chimwemwe Chitedze.
Chisomo Nkhoma was the physical fitness trainer.
However, all the members of the fired panel refused to comment on the matter yesterday.
Reports suggest that Kamuzu Barracks Assistant Coach, Temwa Msuku, and Ascent Soccer Academy coach Thom Mkolongo are favourites to return to women’s football.
During this year’s Cosafa Women’s Championship in Nelson Mandela Bay in August, She-Flames defeated Madagascar 2-0 and Comoros Islands 13-0 but lost to defending champions South Africa 3-1 to exit the tournament in the group stages for the second consecutive year.