BY PETER KANJERE:
Malawi’s Flames Coach, Ronny van Geneugden (RVG), has flown to Mauritius to supervise the under-17 national football team in today’s crunch Group C qualifying match against Swaziland at Stade Anjalay, sparking fresh debate on his actual role.
RVG has switched to the under-17 side after also supervising the under-20 team which exited the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifiers after losing 0-2 to South Africa’s Amajita at Bingu National Stadium in Lilongwe on Saturday.
RVG also travelled, alongside under-20 assistant Coach, Lovemore Fazili, to Zambia two weeks ago to spy on Amajita when they played a friendly, before accompanying the junior Flames to South Africa for the first-leg match of the third and final qualifying round.
RVG also travelled with the under-20 team to Swaziland and Angola in first and second round qualifying matches.
Excluding accommodation and allowances, Football Association of Malawi (Fam) must have spent over K3 million on RVG’s trips.
Fam President, Walter Nyamilandu, confirmed that RVG would join in Mauritius under-17 Coach Deklerk Msakakuona, the former co-assistant coach he dropped from the senior team’s coaching panel earlier this year.
“He would have left with the under-17 when the team was leaving but stayed behind [so as] to be with the under-20. His departure was, therefore, delayed. He is normally part of the contingent for all junior national teams; so, there is always a provision for his travel. As per contract agreement, he plays an oversight and mentorship role as we build the capacity of local coaches,” Nyamilandu said.
He justified the decision for RGV to build capacity of the junior national team coaches when he has won only twice in 14 games in all competitions since being hired last year.
“He inherited a chronic problem with the Flames [and] that can’t be fixed overnight. That is why we have adopted a bottom-up approach to resolve the performance of the Flames,” Nyamilandu said.
But Silver Strikers General Secretary, Thabo Chakaka Nyirenda, Tuesday insisted that it was not necessary for Fam to fly RVG to Mauritius.
“It will obviously cause disturbance. He has not been with the team. It is also an unnecessary waste of resources. We will be sponsoring a tourist to Mauritius. This would not be prudent management of resources,” Nyirenda said.
Former Nyasa Big Bullets general secretary, Higger Mkandawire, Tuesday insisted that there was no justification in flying RVG to Mauritius when all the teams he has been involved with struggle.
Capital Radio seasoned sports journalist, Madalitso Phiri, Tuesday said the Belgian’s role in national teams’ [affairs] is confusing.
“I have never liked the whole idea of RVG meddling in junior national teams, especially where you have coaches that are doing the job. I find it redundant and confusing and I am sure the boys are also confused,” Phiri said.
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