The Maravi Post

Touchline View w/Joe Chibewa

In football, when the going gets tough, the coach will certainly be more than lucky not to be shown the exit door. Mighty Wanderers, one of the most popular teams in Malawi after Bullets FC, just suffered their fourth defeat on the trot on Sunday when they went down to 3-2 to Blantyre United and this is bad news for coach Franco Ndawa and his assistants.

The Nomads are still lying on a respectable fifth position regardless of their drab performance, but their recent drop in form has not gone down well with the executive and the fans alike, who say enough is enough and the coaching panel must leave now. Word was making the rounds on Monday that Ndawa and his backroom staff had either been suspended or outright fired, but no official wanted to come clear on the rumour.

However, there was a strong indication later in the evening that Wanderers were already shopping around for Ndawa’s replacement and that they were dangling a carrot in front of Azam Tigers coach Leo Mplulula. In a radio interview with Star FM Monday evening, Mpulula although sounding non-committal, he nonetheless hinted that a meeting with Wanderers officials indeed took place but he was not going to discuss what transpired inside the four walls. “It’s too early for me to commit myself.

I have advisors and depending on what they advise me, I will make my decision. But, as for now, I have a contract with Azam Tigers and that is what is important at the moment,” Mpulula told the the Star Radio interviewer. On Sunday Nomads coach Ndawa was besieged by the angry fans, who bayed for his ouster. He literary had to sneak out of the Kamuzu Stadium to avoid a physical confrontation with the angry fans.

In the old capital Zomba, Red Lions lived up to their reputation as the only team in the Super League not to have tasted defeat since the league kicked off 10 weeks ago when they edged Silver Strikers 2-1. New signing Boniface Kausiwa scored the first goal for the soldiers before Ndaziona Chatsalira equalised for the bankers. But Dan Katunga made sure the Lions roared back to their barracks with another kill when he slotted in the winner in the second half.

On Saturday, TNM Super League defending champions Silver Strikers, who are still perched on top of the league table, twice came from behind to force a 3-3 draw with 10-man bottom of the league Escom United at Kamuzu Stadium. Escom had goalkeeper Charles Swini sent off by referee Anthony Raphael after he said something unsavoury to the whistle man.
---
©2012 The Maravi Post. Reproduction authorised, with usual acknowledgment.