Written by Dyson Kamwana:
Malawi’s National Football Coaches Association is appealing to the Football Association of Malawi (FAM) to consider recruiting the current Malawi National Football team caretaker Coach, Patrick Mabedi following his performance at the just ended COSAFA Hollywood bets competition in South Africa.
Earlier, the Association recommended that the country’s football mother body (FAM) should give the role of caretaker for the Flames to Patrick Mabedi following the expiry of a contract of Romanian expatriate coach Mario Marian Marinica, a development which came to pass.
His first assignment as a caretaker coach for the Flames, Mabedi has taken the Malawi senior national football team, the flames, into the semifinals of the 2023 Cosafa Hollywood bets and managed to win a fair play accolade, a situation, according to NFCA General Secretary Mpima, has demonstrated ability to improve the performance of the team.
“It is my hope that the Football Association of Malawi will seriously consider our request since the coach (Mabedi) has shown to the world that he can change the game using local talents and this is our stand as National Football Coaches,” said Mpima.
While concurring with Mpima, one of the sports analysts in the country Anthony Msukwa has appealed for the establishment and strengthening of the grass root football, to ensure proper transition of talent to the flames.
“I completely agree with the plea by the National Football Coaches; however, I wish to ask FAM to strongly invest in grass root football as well as revamping football academies to ensure that there is a sustainable transition of young players in the senior national football team,” said Msukwa.
The Malawi national football team displayed a thrilling performance with a youthful squad and won all three group B matches to claim maximum 9 points to book a place in the semifinals of Cosafa Cup where it was defeated by Lesotho on post-match penalties.
The Flames finished in fourth place of the competition after losing 5-4 on penalties against the hosts South Africa after a goalless draw in the regulation time.
