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by
George Kasakula, 12 December 2003
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14:58:45
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We can excel
Opinion on the Flames chances in the World Cup qualifying group which includes Morocco, Tunisia, Guinea, Kenya and Botswana, is divided. While some sports commentators feel the group is tough, others are of the opinion that it is a mild one. I, for one, feel this is irrelevant at this time because comparatively we can only gauge our strength depending on the preparations that the team makes before the playoffs. I submit that if we prepare properly, we can excel. Tunisia and Morocco are the two sides that most people are fearing. Yet the performance of the two teams has not been good in recent years. Tunisia was debacle at the 2002 World Cup and not much is being heard of Morocco these days. What it means is that they are beatable (any team is) if our team can be equipped with necessary aplomb that comes with thorough preparations. But looking at what is happening on the ground, we might as well forget it. The team has no coach. All we hear are different messages from the powers that be about the way forward. The first thing is putting Fam’s house in order during the annual general elections in Mzuzu.
Settle Kamwendo issue
Could Football Association of Malawi, MTL Wanderers, Silver Strikers and Civo Service United solve the ownership wrangle involving midfielder Joseph Kamwendo? For a start, Kamwendo has declared that he wants to play for the nomads and so whatever is to happen should be towards that goal. Kamwendo has a perfect right to play for a team of his choice. Having said that, Silver who rushed to pay a cool K1 million, should not be short-changed. My only worry is that Fam got their 10 percent cut of the money and used it when they were the first to say Kamwendo belongs to Wanderers. Is there any mistake that this Fam has not made in this world? I doubt it. On the other hand, I hope Silver have learnt a lesson that it does not help to be the Roman Abramovich (new Russian billionaire Chelsea owner who has spent millions of dollars to buy stars for his team) of Malawi, eager to open the cheque book anyhow even before they are sure about the availability of the commodity in question.
Where is the money?
Fam spokesman George Kaudza Masina is not helping matters when he says the K2 million President Bakili Muluzi gave the association for the sponsorship of his cup is there when he knows that it is not. If it is there why not show it by sending a bit of it to the North so that they stage the regional finals which would culminate into the national finals. I know anything could have happened to the money. Fam is in perpetual debt and so it is possible it might have used the money towards other things as Mzuzu and District Football League chairman Julius Mithi is saying. I also know that Fam is capable of abusing the money as presidential advisor on sports affairs Henry Moyo is also intimating. Kaudza Masina’s job was therefore to take his pick between the two and explain it to the President. After all, this is not the first time that Bakili Cup money has been abused. I still remember that time in Mzuzu when somebody kept it in a resthouse room and it was allegedly stolen under his nose. At least that was the official version.
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