FIVE SINS OF THE MALAWI NATIONAL FOOTBALL TEAM, THE FLAMES

Greetings to you all sports saints. Before the writer resumes the podium, allow him to express sincere gratitude for the overwhelming feedback from the previous article. Here are few announcements to make. Firstly, the author wishes to encourage the audience to express their comments and views on this same thread so that other readers benefit too. Secondly, the preacher-man wishes to inform about the birth of another blog specifically for community development and communication to be introduced soon. Thirdly, to put it across that issues discussed here are not personal but intends to take advantage of the beautiful online medium to interact on burning issues while giving the audience freedom to respond, react, and contribute to the debate constructively. Therefore responsible manners are preferred.

Lastly, he would want to congratulate the Malawi National Football Team for winning its game against Tanzania at the Kamuzu stadium on 11^th October 2015. Despite failing to qualify for the world cup tournament, the win alone does a lot in the lives of soccer lovers. At least it has gone into records that Malawi has never lost more than once to Tanzania at home ground. The goal cerebration itself revived joyous moments of how people feel when their team wins a game which many Flames supporters had begun to forget due to recent poor results. At the same time, it is a boost for the young players to build confidence and rework on their attitude about international games. The win against Tanzania, but the failure to qualify, leaves a lot of lessons in the Flames classroom which this author has taken it upon himself to discuss them in one of the impending articles ahead. Our treasurers are still counting the offerings collected from the entrances and the figures will be communicated later, hoping not to see stadium-gate which affected the Big Bullets club and the Mighty Be forward Wanderers game proceeds at the same cathedral last week. Ha-ha-ha  

The prophet of doom, as branded, is here again to take another jingle of five sins which the Malawi national football team has had, undoubtedly leading to the bad omen over the recent times. For the goodness of space to allow us to read thoroughly the article to the end, but also to better discuss and understand the issues vehemently, the discussion will be broke into chapters. Today’s chapter will talk of the first junk from the five sins and the subsequent articles will wind up the remaining. 

To begin with,can somebody from the audience list the best first eleven players from the current Flames squad? I mean super quality players who you can parade in assuming you are the coach. The ones you cannot stumble or stagger mentioning during pre-match conference against Egypt, Ivory coast, Ghana, Algeria, Nigeria, Angola, Zambia, and even Cape Verde. Obviously, when mentioning certain names on your list some pundits from the press panel would be raising their eyebrows. No circumlocution!, it is not just a matter of filling the gaps in the lineup positions but feeding the right individuals trustworthy to play ninety minutes without worries of substitutions, assuming nobody gets injured. The ones who the coach cannot complain when he decides to change the game plan while the play is underway on the pitch.

Obviously, the players of such a caliber are likely to maintain their place in the Nation Team for a long time, no matter what happens. And such a team certainly brings home good results.

To be honest here since the last attendance of the Flames at the African Cup of Nations tournament in Angola in 2010, the team had lost its touch and punch. Get the author correct, not many players have maintained their position in the squad. I am afraid this sermon will be longer than the normal allocated hours. 

But the truth of the matter is that when the then captain Peter Mponda hung up the boots through continued injuries as ageing caught up, Elvis Kafoteka and Russell Mwafulirwa quitted later, the replacements have struggled to be consistent. The form of Moses Chavula, Hellings Mwakasungula and Esau Kanyenda felt the downfall. Perhaps people may associate the factors to effects of the quitting gungs who they had established a strong network on the field. Even the form of super goalkeeper Swadick Sanudi was not spared in this catastrophic era. He too hung up the gloves later. The only regular players left were Joseph Kamwendo, Davie Banda and Robert Ng’ambi, and perhaps Chiukepo Msoyowa who, at the time of this previous train used to come from the bench. 

Joseph Kamwendo remained in form after AFCON

Possibly the coach at that time did not prophesy the forthcoming tragedy and see the need to devise precautionary measures. Maybe the team was just overexcited with the incredible and indescribable results it was achieving on the pitch without preparing the transition. This was the team which had played together consistently for a long time. And guess what, it harvested a lot of goodies. The team qualified for the finals of AFCON tournament in 2010; more than twenty years down the previous attendance. 

It was not surprising to see such a team achieving accolade results on the pitch. Yes, thrashing Chad with eight goals to one, the solely highest score line in the recent Flames history, probably since 2000. They made several stunning performances in the records of the National Team. Let’s take a breather and enjoy this unique piece of commentary…date the subsequent article on ‘free tutorial for football commentators in Malawi’ and you will agree the reasons why this kind of commentary is spectacular. 

‘This is Mohamed he has beaten Mponda, trouble! But Sanudi punches it away, trouble! But it is kicked away. Three minutes and thirty seconds to go unofficially before the end of the game.  Hassan has taken a throw, he kicks a long ball inside Malawi’s half … but offside has been ruled against one of them.   Two minutes and fifty five seconds to go. It’s still nil nil. The boys have done a very good job. Some critics said we could not beat or even draw with Egypt but here we are. The ball has come to Chi-u-k-e-p-o-o-o-o-o (screaming…) it’s a g-o-a-l l llll Malawi one Egypt nil!’    (Extract: 14^th June 2008, commentary by Steve Liwewe Banda, MBC Radio 2) 

Ha-ha-ha souls of the congregation have been stirred up. Yeah, people have flashed back the emotions, excitement and joyous moment experienced on this beautiful day.The head coach, then, my longtime friend and the Flames’ legend Kinnah ‘electric, the special one’ Phiri was thrown into the sky several times, ironically, in disbelief of what his charges had managed to yield against such a powerful opponent. It was, sadly, rumored that the coach had lost his phone(s) in the throw-ups. 

The political system also fashioned in town. It was rumored that the then Minister of Sports at one point attributed the success to the wise and dynamic leadership of the then president. Please don’t ask the relevancy of these two issues, it is just a stopover. Yes,the impact of political system on Sports cannot be entirely ruled out, but perhaps here it was somewhat exaggerated.  

In the return leg the Flames stumbled in Cairo amid fierce atmosphere. Remember? Be, however, reminded that at the time Egypt was the number one team in Africa according to rankings, and its first choice goalkeeper Essam El-Hadary was the best on the continent. The team also had other names making headlines in football.

In the subsequent big game the Flames managed to force the giant Ghana to a draw. That was the then Flames which could scorch even in winter.Yes, the team suffered a humiliating defeat before the Elephants of Ivory Coast but it got a reboot at home by holding the killers to a one-all draw.  It must be confessed here that if it was not that the Malawi defenders had given too much respect, just in a minute, for the talisman and the then Chelsea hero Didier Drogba, the Flames would have won that game. 

It is still memorable that the Ivorian soccer king had started on the bench and only to be introduced after the Flames had taken the lead. No sooner had he touched the ball for the first time than he shot home, following a defensive blunder. But still the praise went to the Malawi flag carriers, who were branded as underdogs. Perhaps some of this audience missed the game, but the Ivory team had Yaya Tou`re, Kolo Tou`re, Didier Drogba, Didier Zokora, Solomon Kalou, Gevihno, Wilfred Bony and Barry to mention but some.

The Flames with the same consistent players made another splendid record when they surprised Algeria at AFCON 2010 in Angola with a three-nil threshing in the opening game.On the score sheet were Russell Mwafulirwa at 17’, ElvisKafoteka at 34’ and Davie Banda at 48’.

For a short while, it can be important to have a look at the starting line-up for the team which defeated Algeria: 1-Swadick Sanudi, 3-Moses Chavula, 5-James Sangala, 7-Peter Mponda, 12-Elvis Kafoteka, 13-Hellings Mwakasungula, 10-Joseph Kamwendo, 18-Peter Wadabwa, 19-Davie Banda, 9-Russel Mwafulirwa, 11-Essau Kanyenda. On the bench there was; Robert Ng’ambi, Chiukepo Msowoya and Jimmy Zakazaka to mention a few.

Although, the team suffered several downfalls and defeats (memorable being 7-0 loss to Tunisia) along the way, but still it recorded memorable successes. And justifiably the defeats came in during the transition minutes of the old team to the squad which qualified for the AFCON, but also the other sins, to be discussed later, other than quality of the players. This was the squad emerged from another superb cohort which had ticked the continent in the early 2000s.

Mark fairly the assembly of the following names in a Flames squad at one point in football history by 2006. Goalkeepers: Swadick Sanudi, Semion Kapuza, Philip Nyasulu, Chikhulupiliro Lunda. Defenders: Allan Kamanga, Patrick Mabedi, Peter Mponda, Clement Kafwafwa, Maupo Msowoya, Godfrey Banda, Wisdom Ndlovu, Petrus Mwalweni, James Sangala, Elvis Kafoteka, Itaye Nundwe, and Hudge Tambala. Midfielders: Robert Ng’ambi, Fisher Kondowe, James Chilapondwa, Emmanuel Chipatala, Mike Kumanga, Peter Mgangira, Jacob Ngwira, John Maduka, Moses Chavula, Gift Zakazaka, Sherry Msuku, Hellings Mwakasungula,Maxwell Chirwa, Tendai Mbisa, Richard Mwansa, McNeil Chisunthi. Forwards: Joseph Kamwendo, Esau Kanyenda, Russell Mwafulirwa, Daniel Chitsulo, Jimmy Zakazaka, Heston Munthali, Noel Mkandawire, Ziwange Gondwe, Dick Malidadi, Vitor Phiri, Albert Mpinganjira, Malumbo Mkandawire, Peter Wadabwa and Aggrey Kanyenda. Source (http://www.statemaster.com/encyclopedia/malawi-national-football-team) 

 

This highly quality squad which flickered headlines between 2007 and 2010 had also origin from another generation of soccer icons.Let alone, simple mathematics, it was not difficult to mine best set of players from that huge population.When injuries, age and desire to retire caught up with some of the members, it was so easy to leave the boots for the well prepared youngsters.  The quality was maintained and incredibly improved to achieve more praise than the predecessors. Have a critical look at the quality of those players on the list above; those who were regularly in the first eleven and the quality of those who were in the reserve. Then move the motion against the quality of what the team currently has as first eleven and its reserve.

Surely one would feel the wide difference in terms of quality. The current squad cannot be surprised with outcomes on the scoreboards. It would have been the best reserve side for the Flames and not the first team. Unsurprisingly, when the Mponda led generation went out like a season the team suffered retaliated defeats to the same Algeria 3-0, Egypt 2-1 and the rest is obvious.

Peter Mponda, the Flames legend

Therefore, the first vivid sin rested on the transition period when the then technical panel failed to foresee the need for new good quality players to be gradually succeeding the outgoing team. The coaches allowed the biggies to fade out of fashion then start scouting for short term amateurs as cushions in the lineup’s cracks.  By that time, the situation had gone out of hand.

Somebody can argue that m-m-m but the team still hired replacements. Okay! Can you mention, for instance how many goalkeepers the Malawi Football Team has had after Sanudi? How many have convinced and who has maintained the post? The author does not want to judge any of the goalkeepers but here are some of the names for the audience to recall their performances, Charles Swini, Mcdonard Harawa, Simplex Nthala, and Richard Chipuwa … just from 2011.The point is not to boycott the up and coming players who are under-performing at the national team level. Rather, maintain them in the reserve. 

Slowly with exposure to various tactics and experiences away from the club football, they will be fully shaped to take up duties when the current members face vacation.  

Think of the current best players in the various clubs. Think of how many promising players have been sidelined. It is a petition for the national team coaches to have sharp scouting eyes to grab good quality players into the squad. Trust the author, Malawi has very many high quality players but they are yet to be utilized. The current administration of Ernest Mtawali is showing up signs of building a team by capping young talented players, who at the moment may not be best fits for the Flames but in the next three years they will be icons. When calling up these players, remember to have many of them on the list that can also constitute a strong reserve side than focusing on the first eleven only. 

The indisputable advantage of the national team is that it does not need million dollars to acquire best players through transfer deals. Cast the net wide in the country’s clubs and pick the preferred quality.

But in case all fails, m-m-m-m then perhaps you can try to cap Mwawi Kumwenda upfront… ha-ha-ha leave her alone she makes the nation proud with her punishing volleys against big netball teams in the world!!!

WHICH FLAMES? MALAWI NATIONAL FOOTBALL TEAM OR THE CLUB

WHICH FLAMES?

Flames players in red against Tanzania in blue: pic Nyasatimes

I have had a sparing appearance in the public with my writings on sports in Malawi for a number of good reasons. At the back of my mind I thought perhaps sporting activities would take advantage of this absence to rectify their misfortunes, and maybe give me a positive angle in the subsequent articles. Unluckily, the song is the same and obvious. Well, some members from my good audience, who I love though, have taunted my preaching as being unrealistic, negative and unpatriotic. Hahaha needless to say, opinions are subjective and free of charge; you are all welcome but I will still speak like ‘The prophet of doom.’  

It was on Wednesday 07^th October 2015 when I was taking a breather outside my home in one of the townships in Blantyre. Not surprisingly, it was too hot as the sun had shown its full face being summer in the southern hemisphere. Ironically to assume the scorching duty on behalf of the Malawi football team, The Flames, who were at the time failing to gut down the Taifa stars at Benjamin Nkapa stadium. 

In no mean time two men passed by, and they were discussing of something they just heard from the radio. Guess what, I was about to make a mistake to join the conversation. Yes, the Flames had just conceded a second goal. It was this ‘Street Talkshow’ point which reminded me that the Flames from my beloved country were being hosted by Tanzania in the ongoing World Cup qualifying campaign. 

Apparently two sarcastic issues stood out from the conversation. One man from the duo laughingly said ‘if in the first twenty four minutes, and goals coming within a space of six minutes for that sake, the Taifa stars are leading by two goals to nil at their own courtyard, how many goals we should expect at ninety minute using Lewandowski theory?’ ha-ha-ha lest we forget, Lewandowski is a Bundasliga champions willy-nilly goal scorer who netted five goals in nine minutes. 

Then the other man also took to town. “Am told if the Flames lose to Tanzania, the Dodoma will take over ownership of our Lake Malawi too’; referring to the recent rage between the two countries over the lake boundary. 

At this mentioning of boundary dispute I felt adrenaline gushing top.  I then thought at once, should I advise the coach to employ military football approach by naming a squad of cadets only; who may have access to rifles to protect Malawi from losing on two fronts. Yeah, like the Brazilian referee Gabreil Murta who pulled out a gun on the pitch following a row?...m-m-m-m no my sports sermons have always advocated for peace among all the people as we are one and equal in the eyes of the Creator. Anyway, discard all these mocks because apparently I know they were made out of anger and frustration amid poor performance from the football team which represents the country and many citizens love.                      

In the evening of the same day, I went to buy candles at the nearest Super market following another common poor performance of electricity supplier. Here too, the talk and discussions were about football digest specifically the loss of Nyasa boys in Tanzania. At this point I discovered something I would wish to advise the Football Association of Malawi (FAM).

 ‘Next time you want to employ coaches for the Flames please don’t bother. Just date the evening which the Flames have lost a game and walk in the streets of townships even in the villages, you will grab the best managers’. However, they are very many and unfortunately unlicensed. Let alone, the team requires only one head coach who has a good coaching license. These best black-market managers, tacticians, pundits, and soccer lovers squashed the Mtawali led panel of novice, knows-it-all and window-shopping criterion of team selection and tactics.  Am not so sure if what they call window-shopping meant experimental attitude of the coaches for the team building project. At the core of these censures was sidelining of who they call experienced players such as Joseph Kamwendo and Esau Kanyenda, and recently caped Richard Chipuwa.

The fact is that people will always talk, criticize and mudsling the coach’s ideas, team selection and tactics whenever the team fails to give good result. This is regardless of whether the squad has experienced players or youngsters only. Whatever people will say, trust me, originates from poor results and not team formation or selection per se! If you have a team of youngsters and beat Algeria the coach will be the hero. If you have a team of experienced players only and fell off at the feet of Chad, the coach becomes the villain…that’s normal though.  

It is not too long when my longtime companion coach Jose Mourinho received criticism for continued sidelining of Ex-Chelsea star currently trading at Manchester City, Kelvin Debryune. He, at one press conference threatened to quit the session if journalists press on questions about Kelvin and his first eleven selections. ‘The team only needs eleven players to start. When I start with Kelvin you still ask why I have left Eden Hazad on bench. Another game when I put Eden in the first eleven you still ask why Kelvin on the bench. So any question about Kelvin, I will quit’ he told sports journalists while rolling his eyes like should gallop somebody in the attendance. With arrogant-like approach of Mourinho on this matter, and the team still started getting better results, he retained his status as one of the best tactical coaches in EPL. 
                         

Likewise, it is not long when cries were heard in the streets and media Talkshows of how badly the so called experienced players were failing the Flames. Yes, my dear Kinnah Phiri was criticized of using old guns whose shots had started failing to yield results following poor performance in a spate of games. Forgot?    Nooooo you don’t mean it.  So the congregation has gone blank shortly like this. Isn’t it so recent when the football faithfuls were crying foul of how some big names at FAM were alleged to be influencing inclusion of certain very old players in the squad even when their performance was below par?.  Undoubtedly, we have recycled our newspapers for tissues. I am afraid to be advocating for arrogance on the part of coaches. Get me correct please!.. All I am saying is that team formation and selection rest in your jurisdiction only Mr Coach! 

It is just so shortly when sports pundits applauded Miracle Gabeya as being a promising icon to lead Flames in the recent time. So he only existed for few weeks and now he is gone out of favor? What a short lifespan if really you mean it. Equally, am getting it tough to be educated on whom people are calling well experienced. The same old players you are saying should be called back to assist the Flames now, mind you, helped to brew sour juice just from 2011 to 2014. They recklessly gave away goals to fail the National Team from qualifying for successive 2012 and 2014 Afcon tournaments, unbelievably, with a toe distance from the winning line. 

Have we forgotten the Chad incident?...  It is no secret that football experience comes with game time. If it wasn’t that the said experienced players were given enough game time, surely, they couldn’t have shined on the stage. Follow them in their respective clubs if they are still out-shinning with recent reports that most of them are bench laden. 

All being said and done, which Flames are we talking? The same Malawi National Football Team or it is the Malawi club.  Hahaha. In the subsequent article I will tell you five big sins of the Flames which attract such cursed performance. 

Tanzania celebrating a goal against Malawi: pic Nyasatimes

Now back to the game against the Dodoma boys. Whatever happened on Wednesday’s loss in Tanzania or will happen in the return match on Sunday in Malawi, here are few statistics to know. The head to head summary between the Flames and Tanzania presents interesting facts and perhaps hope for the forthcoming game on Sunday.

Malawi has hosted Tanzania seventeen times in all competitions. The figures indicate that the Flames managed to win eight times, draw eight times and lost only once.  The Flames have played in Tanzania six times before the Wednesday’s game. In all those fixtures Malawi went on to lose two games and drew four. On neutral venue, the Flames have won four of the nine games, drew three and lost two. On aggregate, including the recent game, the two teams have played thirty three games with The Flames winning twelve of them, losing six and drawing fifteen (source http://.footballdatabase.eu/football.coupe.malawi.tanzanie.131147.en.html).  

It is now clear what is possible to happen when the two teams meet. Tanzania has done it again last Wednesday, repeating the history of enjoying home ground results. It is now the Flames’ turn to prove its history, too, of harnessing good results on home soil against the Taifa stars. However repeating football history is not such easy. With the recent revolutionized form of Tanzania, it is a tall older for the Flames who are yet to repent of the five sins I have promised to include in the forthcoming articles. 

                 

So my question remains ‘which Flames? The then National Football Team which used to enjoy the home ground advantage against the Taifa stars or the current Club. Sunday 11^th October 2015 is the Judge. Take home assignment please, the best result for the Flames can be a draw or one nil win but not with more than two goals as is required of Malawi to proceed. Perhaps, yeah, we can only hope that if the Flames can tailor in Lewandowski on a 9 minute loan deal from Bayern. hahahaha   leave him alone after all his coach is his Majesty Chancellor Pep Guardiola!

NGONAMO’S EXPERIMENT BURSTS AS MALAWI LOSES TO BOTSWANA 1-0

…fisher proves his comeback.

The pre-assessment preparation for the incumbent flames care takers Eddington Ngonamo, Enerst Mtawali and Patrick Mabedi, yesterday went into the usual flames result as the Malawi national football team went down 1-0 to the Botswana zebras at the university of Botswana stadium.

In what could be called a well come back for the revived legend fisher anong’a kondowe, and the welcome for new players like chaima, the flames started the game on a promising note. The whole first half saw the flames outclassing the hosts but failed to utilize the clear scoring chances.

The ng’onamo led panel used the 4-5-1 system to ensure that they manage to defend properly to avoid conceding silly goals since they were playing away. It was fisher kondowe who gave the zebras defenders tough time with his speeding, turns and set pieces: no wonder the flames got many corner kicks in the first half. However, it was gasten simkonda   who was much wasteful failing to put the ball behind the net.

It was in the second half when the caretakers decided to parade in bench members that the experiment started to sour. The first substitution seemed promising because it was gabadihno ‘wonderkind’ mhango who was replacing simkonda as alone striker. However, the Malawi star failed to bring home ‘ siife koma gabadihno song’ as he too was not all that poisonous to break the Botswana defence which was much alert in the second half.

 When the flames decided to give the debut cap to more  up and coming super league players, the whole system changed. The pace of the game suddenly went off with the flames chasing the ball most of the time. No wonder the zebras scored their silly goal and the only goal of the game against the flames’ 10 men since james sangala was shown a marching order.

 In an interview with galaxy radio, the flames acting captain moses chavula bemoaned the unnecessary substitutions of the second half  which he said spoiled the momentum of the game. He however said that the players have all making to beat Namibia since it’s a different game altogether.

The friendly against the zebras was organized to give the flames technical panel a starting point. On one hand the loss may demolish the morale of the players who were hoping to rediscover their winning formula. On the other hand it is a wake-up call for the panel to correct where they had goofed. 

Malawi plays Namibia on 24 April in the 2014 world cup qualifiers, and is currently on third position with two points after having draws against Kenya and Nigeria last year. The game is the first competitive match for the current technical panel which was deployed after  kinna phiri was fired.

what do you think about the game against namibia?