BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)-Football fans in Malawi have expressed mixed reactions following the release of the provisional Malawi Under-20 squad preparing for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualification campaign.
The Football Association of Malawi (FAM) released the 31-member squad on its official Facebook page on Monday morning, immediately triggering debate among supporters over the heavy representation of Ekhaya FC.
Ekhaya has 14 players in the provisional squad three goalkeepers and 11 outfield players,meaning almost half of the selected players come from one club.
The development has sparked reactions on FAM’s official Facebook page, with fans taking to the comment section to question the heavy representation of Ekhaya players in the provisional squad.
Chatama, who coaches the Malawi Under-20 side, is also the head coach of Ekhaya FC, giving him an opportunity to work closely with many of the players selected.
Sports analyst and Journalist Williams Chande has, however, urged fans to consider the fact that the squad is provisional and may change before the final selection.
“It is true that Chatama has taken many players from his team, but we should remember that this is a provisional squad. Maybe Chatama wants players who already understand each other,” Chande said.
Chande pointed to examples from top European football, arguing that having a strong core of players who regularly play together can help build team chemistry, although he questioned whether players from other clubs would eventually be given a fair opportunity.
“If Chatama has selected Ekhaya players because they are the best available, then that is fine. But if there is a better player from another team who has been left out, then there is a problem,” he said.
He added that a national team should ideally draw talent from different clubs and regions, while also questioning how many of the selected players have regularly featured for Under-20 teams.
“If most of these players are not actually serving Under-20 teams, then perhaps we should ask whether the FCB Under-20 competition is achieving its purpose, because its benefits would not be visible,” Chande said.
The squad has also raised eyebrows over the absence of players from the FCB Under-20 Eastern Regional Football Association (ERFA) DURATA League, despite the competition providing a platform for young footballers who meet the age requirement.
Supporters have further questioned the limited regional representation, particularly from the Northern Region, which has only one player in the provisional squad compared with the stronger representation of other regions.
The debate now centres on whether the final Malawi Under-20 squad will maintain Ekhaya’s strong presence or whether Chatama will make changes to bring in more players from other clubs, regions and youth competitions.
