While the domestic football league has struggled to export more players in recent years, the number of foreign players in the TNM Super League has reached 16 this season, Malawi News Sport has established.
The number has doubled this season as the 2023 season registered eight foreign players in the domestic elite football league.
In 2022, the league had four registered players.
Some soccer analysts have described the increase in foreign players in domestic league as a step in the right direction saying the league is slowly becoming attractive.
At present, TNM Super League defending champions FCB Nyasa Big Bullets who won unprecedented quadruple last season have five foreigners namely Clyde Senanji (Kenya), Babatunde Adepoju (Nigeria), Collins Mujuru, Kenneth Pasuwa and Ronald Chitiyo (all the three Zimbabwe) followed by Bangwe All Stars who have four foreigners.
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Bangwe have Eric Atsigah from Ghana, Friday Osagie from Nigeria, Termitope Ojeyike and Odyomo Gbolaah.
However, Gbolaah and Ojeyike are still waiting for work permits.
Last season, Bullets had four foreigners namely Senaji, Collins Okumu (both Kenya), Kenneth and Chinedu Okaffor from Nigeria.
However, Okumu and Okaffor were released at the end of the season.
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Bullets Chief Administration Officer Albert Chigoga believes the league is becoming more attractive.
“Our foreign players are giving us what we signed them for,’’ Chigoga said.
In 2022, Bullets had two foreign players namely Babatunde and Isaac Badu from Ghana. The latter was released before the start of the 2023 season.
Rookies Creck Sporting Club, Premier Bet Dedza Dynamos, Mzuzu City Hammers each have two foreign players whereas Mighty Mukuru Wanderers have one foreigner in their 2024 squad.
Two Nigerians Ademola Ajibola and Babangida Ishaya are at Creck whereas Dedza have midfielder Ochaya Okoti Otim (South Sudan) and Samson Olatuboson Tijani (Nigeria).
Hammers, who have made a good start to the season, have two Nigerians Joseph Adeshina and Uzoagha.
Hammers Chief Executive Officer Benjamin Thole said the two players could make their debut this weekend.
“We finalised the clearance last week and if they are in the coach’s plans we might see them on the pitch,” Thole said.
On the part of Wanderers, they have Cameroonian striker Sama Tanjong.
But TNM Super League leaders Silver Strikers have no foreigners in their squad.
The last foreigners to play for the Bankers were Michael Tetteh from Ghana and Nigeria defender Yinus Sherriff in 2019.
Tetteh and Sheriff joined Wanderers after they were released from Silver in 2020.
Then, Wanderers had four foreigners after they signed Atsigah from Masters and Babatunde.
Sports analyst Parry Chinyama said the influx of foreign players in the domestic league is a good sign.
“This shows that our league is starting to be recognised outside our borders. This will increase competition in the teams and make our players up their game,” Chinyama said.
However, Chinyama said the foreign players who have graced the local league were not good enough.
’’We have several examples of players who came and never impressed. But some were good like Thom Aidoo [who had a stint with Wanderers in 1996],’’ he said.
Former Flames midfielder Sherry Msuku said foreign players bring professionalism and quality.
“It is always good to have foreign players in our league because they bring competition,” Msuku said.
The influx of foreign players could be a sign that the league is becoming attractive and competitive. On top of that, this could mean that some local clubs are becoming professional. Despite the influx of foreign players, domestic football rules do not restrict clubs from signing more foreign players.
Football Association of Malawi (Fam) Compliance Manager Casper Jangale asked for more time before commenting on the issue.
In all fairness, there is no big league without foreign players.
However, the DStv Premiership restricts clubs from signing more than five foreign players. This is also the same in Zambia as foreigners are restricted in the lower division.
Super League of Malawi President Gilbert Mittawa said the influx of more foreign players is a sign that the league and teams have made progress.
“We have seen most of the clubs operating as professional entities so they are able to attract quality players from outside and within. In nutshell, there has been tremendous progress and the players from outside the country are aware of what is happening in our league,” Mittawa said.
