Date Of Article: 2/7/2003
To Print This Story Goto File > Print
<<Back
English coach in next week
By: Garry Chirwa
It is now beyond any shadow of doubt. The long-awaited English coach Allan Gillet is finally expected to arrive in the country from England early next week after getting the seal of approval from both Fam executive and the technical committee on Thursday. Fam general secretary Chris Kamphinda Banda said in an interview the English coach is now packing his bags for a four-month exploit in the Warm Heart of Africa. “We didn’t want to bring the coach unilaterally. We wanted an input from the technical committee as well as an approval from the executive. The technical committee met yesterday and they were very impressed with his CV and his working experience. They recommended that we should hire him,” Kamphinda Banda said. He also explained that the executive has also endorsed that Gillet, who has coached England Under-21 and Yemen Arab Republic, should be engaged. “We have also been in touch with the coach. Basically he is happy with the offer although there are some few areas which need clarification like whether his monthly fees will be taxed and how he will be paid. “Otherwise, he has accepted and he is in the process of finalising travel arrangements with the FA. In fact the FA has assured us that he should be arriving early next week,” said Kamphinda Banda. The Fam chief executive also said the terms being offered to Gillet are not different from those that were offered to the other English coach who withdrew his interest. The offer includes a monthly fee of 4,000 Pounds Sterling (about K580,000) plus accommodation. The FA has offered to take care of the coach’s one-month fee before Fam takes over. The FA’s head of international relations Jane Bateman confirmed in a telephone interview that the coach was on his way. “We have noted that the issue of coach has generated a lot of interest in Malawi and we wouldn’t want to delay further. Allan has accepted and we are trying to finalise his travel arrangements. He is coming next week and we wish Malawi all the best as they prepare for Nigeria,” said Bateman. Fam technical committee head Henry Moyo said in a separate interview that Gillet is the right man for the job. “He is an experienced coach and we were left with no inch of doubt that he can handle our team. Allan will get used to his new charges, that should not be a problem,” said Moyo. Moyo, who is also special advisor to the president on sports affairs, assured that government will assist Fam should the association have problems in paying the coach.
<<Back
© 2001-2002 Nation Publications Limited, All Rights Reserved