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| Youth and Sports Minister: Enock Chakufwa Chihana |
By
Blessings Kumwenda
Minister of Youth and Sports Honorable Enock
Chakufwa Chihana has described the country’s national team performance at this
year’s Council of Southern Africa Football Associations (COSAFA) Cup which took
place in Zambia from July 6 to 20 as huge embarrassment to the nation.
Chihana said this at a presentation ceremony of 2013
Malawi Schools Sports Association (MASSA) Copa Coca cola trophy to Central West
Education Division (CWED) who have emerged this year’s cup champions.
The minister argued that Malawi national team, the
Flames lost games that needed to be won. Chihana said Flames had an upper hand
when it played with Zimbabwe but failed to carry the three maximum points.
The Youth and Sports overseer also cited games
played in the 2014 World Cup Qualifiers, games between Kenya and again Namibia
as matches that could have made the flames sail through to the top of the group
F.
Chihana described this as a big embarrassment to his
ministry and the whole nation. He said the government is spending a lot of
money in promoting football.
“The investment in football is just too much. A lot
of money is pumped into football,” he said.
Chihana further expressed that huge sums of money is
yet to be invested soon for Flames trip to Nigeria shortly. At least 30 million
kwacha is to be budgeted for the trip.
The Youth and
Sports Minister said as a ministry they have realized a failure at the national
level and they would like to invest more money at grassroots as a way of
identifying talent for the prosperity of the country’s national team.
Chihana said if large sums of money can be invested
at grassroots it can generate a greater impact at national level.
Former Flames coach Kinnah ‘Electric’ Phiri
alongside Flames veteran player Jack ‘Africa’ Chamangwana will be deployed for
talent identification at grassroots across the country, Chihana has confirmed.
“A lot of money is spent at national level unlike at
grassroots. This has had a negative impact on our national team’s performance,”
he said.
It was expressed that Malawi posses excellent talent
that need to be scrutinized and put to use.
“Phiri and Chamangwana are very talented and
experienced.
As a ministry we have decided that the two football veterans scout
for local talent at the grassroots so that it can be utilized at national
level,” he said.
Chihana said as a ministry they want Malawi football
team, the Flames to emerge victors in international competitions.
“Once I reach office I will tell my officials to
summon the two coaches so that we make a program together with Sports Council
and Football Association of Malawi (FAM),” he said.
Approximately 16 million kwacha is to be pumped in for
Malawi national team’s trip to Rwanda for a friendly match.
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