TNM, sponsors of the flagship TNM Super League have expressed satisfaction with the way the league was run in the just-ended season.
TNM’s commercial director Dan Makata said this during the 2015 TNM Super League Awards Gala held at Comesa Hall in Blantyre last Thursday.
“I can say it here without any iota of doubt that the just-ended season was very competitive as it was tasking. It holds, therefore, that we should indeed meet and recognize our winners. These are our heroes, our idols, our mentors and our men of valour who gave it all for their teams and their supporters.
“We started this journey last year in March, but no matter how exciting a journey can be, it has to come to an end. Today therefore marks the end of the 2015 TNM Super League,” said Makata.
He added: “As TNM we are very proud with the way Super League was run and managed. As a result of the professionalism professed by the managers of the league and clubs, we have been able to unearth talent and provide an occupation to our boys. This year’s theme was Our Players Our Heroes Our Pride.
“The thinking behind this theme was that we should as a country honour and reward our talented players. As sponsors we are not happy hearing that our players are reduced to paupers even as they continue to offer us maximum entertainment. We are very pleased with supporters from all teams. They behaved largely well.”
However, he noted that there were a few pockets of hooliganism.
“As sponsors we do not condone violence at football matches and therefore we were disturbed with acts of violence that happened at the Kamuzu Stadium which culminated into the loss of life. The game of football was brought into disrepute as a result of that single incident.”
Taking her turn, Minister of Sports and Culture Grace Chiumia asked Super League players to be desciplined.
“It shames me to hear that some players misbehave to the point of being arrested for picking up fights at drinking joints. Let us learn to be desciplined,” she appealed.
Football Association of Malawi ( FAM ) president Walter Nyamilandu vowed to ensure that the Super League is run professionally and that players’ welfare will be a priority.
He reiterated the need to introduce club licencing which he said will endure that there is accountability and transparency in managing club resources.
Through the licencing initiative, clubs that have well laid structures such as audited accounts will be the only ones accredited to compete in the top flight.
Super League of Malawi (Sulom) president Innocent Bottomani also described the just-ended season as thrilling and thanked TNM for being with the flagship football league for a decade.
In media awards, Nation Publications Limited’s (NPL) Joy Ndovi and Bobby Kabango won the best columnist and photo-journalist accolades respectively, whereas Times Group’s Peter Kanjere and Nyasa Times’ Jerome Kadewere were named best print and online reporters respectively.
Joy Radio’s Peter Fote and Times Group’s Lusayo Kanyika were named best Television presenter and cameraman respectively while Frank Kandu and Patrick Simango of Malawi Broadcasting Corporation’s (MBC) won the best commentator and presenter accolades.
TNM impressed with 2015 TNM Super League season
