BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)- The Football Association of Malawi (FAM) President Walter Nyamilandu, on Monday told the nation that the newly recruited expatriate coach Ronny van Geneugden, will be the head of all national teams, in a bid to sustain style, discipline, and method of training.
FAM’s clarification comes barely a few days after the expatriate coach Ronny was introduced to the public on Saturday, with a two-year contract for the Flames glooming.
The association president Nyamilandu said Ronny will head all junior national teams, not necessarily to train the youth side, but to supervise and mentor the coaches.
Nyamilandu added that the association wants the coach’s philosophy to flourish from senior team to youth sides for consistency.
Nyamilandu therefore downplays said this would avoid duplication of efforts in involving the expatriate coach on development aspects of football and arguing that the latter will bring in specialized technical services that will be imparted to the local coaches.
“His developmental space actually compliments the role of the Technical Director (TD). Development is not a one man’s job and the TD needs support,” the FAM president said.
“We can’t afford the luxury of the coach being idle, when he can effectively contribute towards football development whenever he isn’t not involved with the Flames. We have to make the most of his time, and benefit from his vast knowledge and experience,” Nyamilandu further justified.
On his part, van Geneugden expressed gratitude for the role given, and said he was ready and willing to be involved with the junior teams as well since his target is to create a style of play not only for the senior teams but the junior teams that Malawi can be identified with.
But other soccer commentators faulted the association’s decision to engage the coach for the junior teams, arguing that it is too much and practically impossible for Ronny to head all teams, as the Flames have a crammed schedule for Africa Cup of Nations and Championship of African Nation (CHAN) qualifiers in 2019 and 2018 respectively.
Coach van Geneugden, will be supported by two assistant coaches, Gerald Phiri and Deklerk Msakakuona, whose first assignment is the preparations for the 2018 CHAN qualifier against Madagascar, on April 22, 2017.