If you know what I mean, Thursday afternoon was not your usual day in the August House in Lilongwe.
For once, there were no agalu inu wind up taunts, let alone dozing and playing computer games.
It was such a relief that some legislator, at least, spoke in Parliament calling for increased funding to football and netball national teams.
In response, Finance Minister Goodall Gondwe insisted that his government has over the years been increasing budgetary support to the sports sector, and that it was unreasonable expecting more funds even when the Flames cannot qualify for the Fifa World Cup finals.
Gondwe forgot to add that the Flames cannot qualify for any competition—even a competition meant to be competed for by Malawi alone.
Someone even suggested that if the Flames joined the TNM Super League they can get relegated.
But there some lessons to be learnt from the ongoing World Cup in Russia.
The first lesson is that national teams and its players are not meant to be changed every year.
Most players who are at the World Cup have served their teams for five consecutive years.
For example, Spain (Andres Iniesta, Sergio Ramos, Gerald Pique, Sergio Busquets), Mexico (Chicharito, Dos Santos, Guillermo Ochoa, Rafael Marquez), Uruguay (Edson Cavani, Luis Suarez, Godin), Brazil (Fernandinho, Pualinho, Neymar, Tiago Silva, Marcelo) and Germany (Manuel Neuer, Jerome Boateng, Mat Hummels, Mesut Ozil and Sam Khedira).
It is clear that playing for a national team is sacred and that it is a national investment; hence, the selection has to be earned by quality players with age and right attributes befitting one with the privilege of playing for country.
Second lesson is that a national team player must have stamina and strong mental character. International football is not just about talent. It is for players who think and make decisions in a group setup (technically sound players).
Third, national team coaching is for international coaches; those who have seen it all with clubs and achieved something at the highest level such as continental football. Mere domestic league football experience is not enough. International football is another terrain.
The fourth lesson is that even if the World Cup is expanded to 50 teams, it would take another 50 years for the Flames to qualify for the world event because Malawi is light years behind.
Fifth lesson is that football is bigger than the pitch. It is big business.
Football is tourism, forex, employment and infrastructure.
The question is ‘are we learning from the World Cup?
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