The Maravi Post

MZUZU--The Malawi Government and Football Association of Malawi (FAM) have confirmed that the Flames trip to China for a three-week camp in preparation for World Cup qualifiers will be on in April.

Malawi have been drawn against Kenya and Nigeria in the first and second weeks of June respectively.

According to FAM chief executive officer Suzgo Nyirenda, the Flames will travel to China in the second week of April and return on April 27.

“There a proposal to send the team in May after the end of the South African league or now when it is on break. That has not worked and we will go in April,” Nyirenda told The Nation.

The development means it will virtually be impossible to accommodate most foreign-based players, unless their leagues will be off-season. At least 14 Flames professionals are based in South Africa, while others are in Angola, Mozambique, Spain and Vietnam.

Considering that from the local squad only Frank Banda is a regular in the national team, it means the contingent coach Kinnah Phiri will be taking to China will effectively be going there more on a joyride than preparing for the tough assignments ahead.

Kinnah himself admits that not all is well. He says the development is a setback because having a full squad would have given him the opportunity to assess his team, which is yet to play together since failing to qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations finals after drawing 2-2 against Chad last October.

“This was the only [chance] for us to be together in an intensive camping and play test matches with a full squad,” rued the coach.

He said, however, not all is lost as this development is somehow a blessing in disguise, especially for local players who will gain a great deal of exposure and a chance for them to challenge foreign-based players for a place in the main team.

“It is time for the locals to prove their worth,” Kinnah said.

Speaking during the Spring Festival to celebrate the Chinese New Year, the Chinese Ambassador to Malawi Pan Hejun said in the commercial city of Blantyre that the People’s Republic would host the Flames as part of an exchange programme the two countries signed in 2010.

"We are going to promote culture, education and sports. So, this year we are going to invite the Flames to come to China to play a friendly match against our national team to enhance our relations."

China are ranked 74th in the world and have been to the World Cup at least once when they qualified for the world soccer fiesta in 2002 where they ostensibly made little impact as they were eliminated early, nevertheless.

Meanwhile, the local squad went into camp on Monday in preparation for this month’s away game to Chad for the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.    
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