Big Bullets coach Edingtone Ng’onamo has been appointed interim Malawi national soccer team coach with former Flames’ legendaries Ernest Mtawali and Patrick Mabedi as his assistants, an inside source disclosed on Wednesday.
Fam emergency meeting made the decision at Chiwembe Technical and Development Centre in Blantyre yesterday.
“They resolved to appoint Ng’onamo as the coach with Mabedi,Mtawali as his assistants. Charles Manda is the team manager. Their contracts will run up to September.” said the source.
Ng’onamo said he was still waiting for an official communication from Fam before he comments on the issue.
“I have just heard but they are yet to officially approach me. Possibly I will be meeting them tomorrow,” Ng’onamo said.
Mtawali, yesterday, said in a telephone interview from Johannesburg that he has not yet been officially communicated.
“But if that is the case then I cannot say no to my country,” he said.
Fam president Walter Nyamilandu could not pick his phone yesterday evening while his general secretary Suzgo Nyirenda said they had sent a press release.
Fam dissolved the former coaching panel headed by Kinnah Phiri, his assistant Young Chimodzi and technical director Jack Chamangwana after a series of unimpressive results.
The fired coaches, who were on government payroll, were later appointed regional coaches.
It was reported that the money for the national football team coach has been diverted to the regional coaches, which raises panick for the cash-strapped association.
Nyamilandu said before the meeting that Fam has sought clarification from the government on the issue of funding.
“We have written them seeking clarification on why the vote has been taken by regional coaches,” he said.
Director of Sports in the ministry of sports Jamieson Ndalama did not shed more light on the issue but admitted that it is the responsibility of the government to fund the national team coach.
“Since we have a situation where Fam is going to recruit a coach, they will give us a report and then we will see what we can do. That’s all I can say.”
Ng’onamo is expected to lead the Flames to the 2014 World Cup qualification in Brazil. His first official assignment will be against Namibia in Windhoek in March.
