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Business tycoon and co-chairman of the People’s Progressive Movement (PPM) Jimmy Korreia-Mpatsa asserted on Thursday that although football authorities have put him off in the recent past, his doors are still wide open to the Flames for assistance in their quest for regional glory.
Reacting to Fam’s recent plea for financial assistance in preparation for the two-legged Cosafa Castle Cup finals as well as participation in the World Cup, the usually at ease businessman-cum-politician said: “Personally and as a party we have come up with offers to assist our national team, unfortunately we have been ignored by football authorities.
“But if indeed it is true that Fam is looking for assistance let them approach me and we’ll discuss.”
Korreia-Mpatsa recalled that his air ticket offer to enable former national team coach Kim Splidsboel wing in from Denmark to watch the African Nations Cup qualifier against Nigeria, was turned down by Fam.
“As a party we also made an offer to pay part of the present coach Alan Gillett’s perks and again, the offer was turned down.
“Twice our offers have been taken out of context because they were viewed as being political but we made them purely as Malawians. In such a situation it becomes difficult to come up with an offer,” said Korreia Mpatsa.
He added: “I made a decision to say may be they have resources but I was surprised to read in the press that the team is failing to go into camp due to lack of funds and in addition to that, there is a directive from government that Fam should pull out of World Cup.
“But if you look at the wastefulness of government resources, you tend to wonder why there is no funding for the national team,” said Korreia-Mpatsa.
Sports Minister Henderson Mabeti and Fam spokesman George Kaudza Masina appealed to the general public to assist the Flames’ cause, saying it is not the duty of government alone to assist the national team activities.
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