Wanderers’ coaches get three-game ultimatum
Struggling Mighty Be Forward Wanderers have given the Bob Mpinganjira-headed coaching panel a three-game ultimatum to save their jobs.
This follows Wanderers’ poor start to the 2020/21 TNM Super League season, which has seen the team collecting six points from a possible 18 to slump to position 11 on the 16-team log table.
Following the team’s disappointing 2-0 home loss to Karonga United, Wanderers officials held an emergency meeting through Zoom on Saturday, when it was agreed to give the coaches an ultimatum to improve the team or face the chop.
Wanderers General Secretary Victor Maunde confirmed giving the coaches an ultimatum following unconvincing displays.
“They have three games to save their jobs; otherwise ,results are not looking good. There is pressure from all angles including the supporters. We feel we have been lenient enough. Despite the financial problems the team is going through, we were supposed to do well,” he said.
This season, Wanderers have only defeated TN Stars 3-1 but drew with Mzuzu Warriors 1-1, Silver Strikers 0-0 and lost to Mafco 1-0.
The executive meeting faulted the coaches for failure to identify a starting line-up.
There are other concerns ranging from team selection and formation as it appears that some players are struggling to fit in while questions have been raised about whether players were being featured on merit.
Eyebrows were raised on Saturday when Hankey Machira, who is the right replacement for injured Stanley Sanudi, was not named in the 20-man match squad.
Wanderers Assistant Coach Oscar Kaunda was elusive on the three-game ultimatum but admitted the team was going through a bad spell.
“We are also not happy with the results. We have played three games at home without scoring a goal. It is painful and something we cannot believe because it is different from what we see in training. I really do not know what is happening with the team when it comes to games. We will try to fix the problem,” said the former Civil Service United assistant coach.
The Lali Lubani Road outfit are sailing in troubled waters, having lost sponsorship from Japanese Second Hand Car Dealers Be Forward Limited on December 31 last year.
Signs that all was not well at Wanderers started mid last year after Be Forward reduced the sponsorship package due to loss of business as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Wanderers next game is against equally struggling Mighty Tigers who also fired their Head Coach Rodgers Yasin last week following poor run of form in the elite league.
Peter Fote is a Sports Journalist with huge experience in radio and Television reporting, production and presentation. He once worked with Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) and is currently working for Times Media Group.
