STATEMENT ON HIRING OF THOM SAINTFIET, AS A VOLUNTEER COACH FOR THE FLAMES Football Association of Malawi (FAM) on Tuesday 9 July 2013, unveiled Tom Saintfiet as the new Flames coach on voluntarily basis for the next two months until 6 September 2013. The unveiling Ceremony at Civo Stadium was more of Tom’s show to meet the Malawi media and be able to speak for himself about his mission in Malawi and his background. FAM feels the ceremony was a success as it outlined some of the issues that were not being understood regarding Tom coming to coach the Flames. But since the show was much of the coach, despite that FAM General Secretary Suzgo Nyirenda and First Vice President Moses Mkandawire took some questions, FAM feels it is right to make a summary of its official position on Tom’s appointment. BACK GROUND Tom has been an admirer of the Flames for quite a long time describing it as a team with great potential to conquer Africa and the World. He started showing interest to coach the team the first time he played against the Flames when he was coach for the Brave Warriors Namibia at the 2008 Cosafa Cup in Secunda, South Africa. Despite his team winning 1-0 he was impressed with the Flames and instantly developed an interest to coach them in future and has since then been in constant contact with FAM and former Flames coach Kinnah Phiri. In 2011 when he was coach of Ethiopia National Team, he single handedly facilitated a friendly game with Flames which was played in Addis Ababa when the Flames were en-route to Chad. The game ended 0-0. When Kinnah Phiri was excused of his Flames duties earlier this year, Tom immediately wrote FAM showing interest to take over the job he longed for a long time. FAM then expressed to hire the expatriate coach but there were no funds to pay one as Kinnah and his relieved panel were still on government payroll. But Tom still insisted on coming to coach the Flames on voluntarily basis, but FAM ignored him opting for locals Eddington Ng’onamo, Patrick Mabedi and Ernest Mtawali as caretaker coaches. TOM SAINTFIET APPOINTMENT Eddie Ng’onamo and his team did well getting five points out of a possible nine with an away win in Namibia and two draws at home to Namibia and Kenya. But a FAM technical analysis on the performance of the coaches for the home games proved that the team lacked tactical approach to their games and hence the draws that would have put Malawi out of contention for the World Cup Qualifiers had Nigeria not messed up in Namibia. Eddie also accepted that his team had tactical deficiency and hence the failure to collect six points in the two home games. The engagement of the expatriate coach was necessitated having performed below par against Namibia and Kenya. There was a critical need for the Flames to improve its style of play for it to stand a better chance of beating Nigeria. Realising that the World Cup was within our sights and that the stakes were higher, FAM felt duty bound to rise to the occasion by strengthening the Technical Panel with a highly qualified coach. By this time Tom was still knocking on FAM’s door to come and coach the team on voluntarily basis. With Tom continued self-offer to provide free services it was felt that he was the right man to help Flames improve tactics on a cost effective deal. The bonus part was that he was coming for free yet with high expertise you can ask for on the job market. FAM Executive discussed the matter and they resolved to bring Tom on board to beef up the Technical panel. Then FAM tabled the matter with Malawi National Council of Sports and the Ministry of Sports who approved the idea .The matter was then referred back to FAM executive where it was endorsed and Tom Saintfiet was confirmed Flames coach. This clarifies that the decision was not only made by FAM nor one member of the FAM executive but all stakeholders involved in the managing of the Flames participated in the entire process of bringing the coach to Malawi with all unanimously agreeing he is the right man for the job. It is with this effect that despite some queries on the logic of the appointment of the coach in the media, Sports Minister Enoch Chihana told MBC Radio 2 during the week that their ministry supports the decision because it was done for the good interest of the Flames ambitions to beat Nigeria in September and qualify for the World Cup TOM SAINTFIET DEAL Tom Saintfiet is coming to Malawi on voluntarily basis and will not have a monthly pay. He has no any contract with FAM or government of the Republic of Malawi. He will just be provided with accommodation in Blantyre and be given internal transport. The coach has made a proposal that he should be given a game bonus of 10,000 USD if he wins the game against Nigeria. FAM would like to clarify that the issue of the 10 000 USD bonus is not official and remains a proposal from the coach to FAM and government as of now pending discussions which are set once he returns from the Cosafa Cup in Zambia. There is misconception that he has already been given the money which is not correct because if agreed this pledge will be fulfilled after the match. To show that the coach is indeed on voluntarily basis that is why he got down to work even before signing any agreement on what he will get after beating Nigeria . To this effect it should be clear that Tom will be with the Flames from 6 July 6 2013 to 10 September 10 on voluntary basis. An offer of a permanent contract to Tom will only be considered after the World Cup Qualifiers subject to qualification and availability of finding to meet his salary. TOM SAINTFIET DEAL’S BENEFIT’S The coach has shown that he is personally committed to coach the Flames to success because he believes the team has potential and that is why it is fighting for a place with African Champions, Nigeria. He wants to make a name for himself by taking Malawi to the World Cup for free while the country benefits by using his free service to make breakthrough in World football. FAM has documents showing offers the coach had from clubs in Kenya, South Africa and Tunisia with the lowest at USD20 000 a month and the highest at over USD40 000 a month, with extra game and cup winning bonuses, without the risk of winning or losing. But he turned down all those offers to coach Malawi for free because he has a dream which corresponds that of the Malawi football family – to qualify for the world biggest soccer show piece. It should be noted that former expatriate coaches Steven Constantine and Burkhard Ziesse five years ago were getting more than USD 20 000 each a month, on top of game bonuses regardless of win or loss. Tom is the first coach to have volunteered to work for the Flames for free. He brings in worth of experience, high pedigree and proven track record which we hope will benefit the national team at minimal cost. He has a UEFA Pro License which is a highest coaching license in the world and has had a stint with Nigeria as a Technical Director and played against Nigeria as coach of Ethiopia and managed to frustrate them as they failed to qualify for the 2012 Afcon. We believe he can do the same with the Flames in September and probably beyond. NG’ONAMO, MABEDI AND MTAWALI INVOLVEMENT Ng’onamo, Mabedi and Mtawali were appointment as caretaker coaches for the Flames following the firing of the Kinnah Phiri panel. The three were on a three game contract which expired when the Flames drew with Kenya 2-2 on June 12, 2013. FAM was then at liberty to either keep them or not renew their contract as it had already been stated during their unveiling that their future with the Flames will depend on their delivery in the three games. As indicated above their performance was satisfactory but not significant that is why FAM, through consultation with the Malawi government decided to take Tom Saintfiet on board to strengthen the panel. Eddie Ngonamo and Patrick Mabedi were retained as assistants not as a demotion but in new contractual roles. Funds were not permitting to have three assistant and that is why Mtawali is currently not part of the panel due to financial constraints. But it should be made clear that Ernest Mtawali was not fired, his contract expired and was not renewed due to financial constraints. He is still part of our plan that is why FAM sent him to an elite coaching course in Germany in May. Ernest Mtawali will certainly be considered in future when the opportunity arises to recruit national coaches on a long term contract. PLAYERS WELFARE & INCENTIVES There has been a lot of say as well on players’ welfare with concerns that the players are being overlooked in terms of decent bonuses and allowances. Following a petition that was made by the players before the match against Kenya, FAM has already taken a huge step in improving the welfare of players by increasing their training allowances by 100% - MK1, 500.00 per day to MK3, 000.00. FAM has proposed to Malawi National Council of Sports that the game bonuses should be increased to K100 000 from K30 000 while their external travel allowances should be increased to USD 75 a day from USD 50. Discussions are still underway with Malawi National Council of Sports to arrive at fair allowances given the fact that funding for the national team has not been increased for the past 3 years. It has not changed from MK70 million. While consideration will be made to offer Tom an incentive for the match against Nigeria, a special incentive will also be offered to the national team players closer to the time. This is an aspect that will be highly considered bearing mind that the stakes are higher. Looking at Saintfiet qualifications and experience in Africa with countries like Ethiopia, Namibia and brief stints with Zimbabwe and Nigeria, FAM believes he is the right man to take charge of the team at the moment a head of the Nigeria game. FAM understands that there was misconception of his appointment and his coming met a lot of resistance. But he is a professional coach who has shown passion for Malawi and is ready to give out his best despite shortfalls in the team’s resources. We urge Malawians to give the coach support as we have done with Kinnah Phiri and Ng’onamo so that collectively we work together in achieving our one ultimate goal to qualify for the World Cup and Make Malawi football happen. SUZGO NYIRENDA GENERAL SECRETARY- FAM
Posted on: Fri, 12 Jul 2013 08:53:25 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015