Africa-Press – Malawi. The Football Association of Malawi (FAM) executive committee elections are finally here as nominations for potential candidates rolled out this week. Mark your calendars. The D-day will be on 16th December, 2023 and Mzuzu, the host, a likely theatre of hopelessness for the losers and ecstasy for the victors.
Much and more is at stake. This is the battle for the soul of the game—one that has become more like a religion at home and around the world. The focus, however, like always, will be on FAM presidency, a position the incumbent Walter McMillan Nyamilandu Manda has clung on to since 2004.
It’s been a long way gone; 20 years is not yesterday. Nyamilandu, just as he owns many names, has over the years been wearing many faces; a moderately successful footballer, Mighty Wanderers general secretary, a church deacon and a marketer, a shrewd one, to say the least.
It is this shrewdness that has obviously sustained him at the helm of football as he has always found a way—dirty and smart—to persuade affiliates to rally behind him.
Of course he has scored some administrative goals over the years. The FIFA funded projects such as Mpira House, the seat of FAM, are among the standouts.
However, one thing is clear though: our football hasn’t really developed to the expected professional levels. Since 1988 when Malawi won the East and Central Africa challenge Cup, the Flames remain in the wilderness of failure with no silverware to its name.
This is despite the fact that every country’s football greatness is measured by the national team’s success. It is that success that opens up markets for players in top leagues.
Nigeria, Morroco, Cameroon and Senegal are all living examples as their people are all over top footballing leagues. It is less surprising though that the only meaningful destination for Malawian players, is South Africa, more so in little known teams.
But this country can do better. What local football needs now are new ideas, new philosophy and new blood. All former Nyamilandu rivals such as Willy Yabwanya, James Mwenda, Wilkins Mijiga have all seemingly disappeared into oblivion.
It leaves the stage to a potential fight between Nyamilandu and the current Super League of Malawi (Sulom) president Fleetwood Haiya. Nothing has been completed yet to confirm the clash as nominations are still flying but there’s a 99.9 percent possibility if the aura of air sweeping through the soccer gossip corners are anything to go by.
Haiya has changed Sulom in a blink of an eye. That sleepy organisation has woken up from its deep slumber. The long standing reforms that were merely campaign promises in the past have become a reality. A vibrant secretariat is in full swing and there is utmost orderliness in the way of doing business.
So, Haiya, who also had a successful stint at Nyasa Big Bullets as chief executive officer and later vice chairman has proved that he hides a shrewd acumen that can transform local football given the mantle of power.
His Bullets days were a marvel. He took over a thoroughly disorganised and hopeless team and transformed it into a forceful side. The People’s Team has won everything domestically; the league titles, Carlsberg Cup, Airtel Top Eight, FDH Cup and more during his association with it.
The ideas he helped to sharpen Bullets into such a force, can easily be transitioned into the national team and, effectively, bear unimaginable fruits. He is surely credibly tailor-made for the FAM top job. Over to you affiliates!
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