The Football Association of Malawi says it excited that most former elite football players are enrolling in coaching courses which he said will help develop football in the country.
Nyamilandu said this on Wednesday morning during the opening ceremony of the third and last CAF C Coaching Course for 2023.
He said in the past FAM spent a lot of resources training wrong people as retired players were not interested in taking up coaching.
“ It is encouraging to see a lot of former players enrolling in courses and committing to remain in the game. People that have played football at the highest level have the better understanding and if they train as coaches as they have a lot to offer.
“ In the past most players were reluctant to join courses but now every time we announce that there is a course the response is overwhelming. Just for this course I can see six former internationals. That’s it encouraging.
“ As FAM we will give all former players support to ensure that they continue with football careers past they playing days so that their experience is not lost but reinvested in the future generations,” said Nyamilandu Manda.
He added that coaching is a full-time career and the participants should take the course seriously.
“Football offers employment opportunities to many people and here in Malawi, we want to complement government’s pledge to employ 1 Million youths by having others work in football hence the need for these Coaches to have proper contractual agreements with their employers when they go out there.
” Coach Education is now expensive so one cannot attain a CAF C License just to be working for free thereafter. However, when you demand contracts, even the employer knows that there is something special with you”, he said.
Nyamilandu has since encouraged the participants to work hard and pass the course .
“Coaches should not be lazy, this is school and in school, one needs to work hard if they want to pass. We have been having casualties in the previous courses but we want a 100% pass rate in this course and this will only happen of every one works hard.
“Football is a science and it changes every day. Gone are the days coaches used to write lineups and training programs on a piece of paper. Now a good coach needs to at least have basic computer knowledge so that their work is properly typed not handwritten .So these Coaches we are training need to know how to use a computer,” he said.
In his remarks, National Football Coaches Association (NFCA) Chairperson Aubrey Nankhuni hailed FAM for fulfilling plans of having three CAF C Coaching Course in 2023 saying this has bridged the gap between CAF B and FAM D Licensed Coaches in the country.
“As NFCA, we want to thank our mother body FAM for the good relationship we have. When we asked for more CAF C Courses, FAM heard our cry and here we are with a third course in 2023 only.
“We are happy that these Coaches have always been chosen on merit based on the work they are doing out there because we have a database and we know who is using the certificates they have.
“It is my hope that the coaches will continue using the knowledge they will get here when they go out there so that when it’s time for CAF B, they will be considered because we only select those who are active,” said Nankhuni.
Speaking on behalf of the participants, Loggys Zidana from Silver Strikers Ladies said the course has come at a right time as they were looking forward to upgrade their coaching education.
“This course will enhance our expertise in football coaching. We will make sure that we use the knowledge gained here to develop the game and very soon, the fruits of gaining CAF C Licenses will be seen by everyone,” said the former Scorchers goalkeeper.
The course has attracted 30 coaches most of whom are from the Regional Premier Leagues with some from Youth a d Women’s football.
Among the participants are former Flame players Moses Chavula, Simion Kapuza, Vincent Gona, Allan Kamanga and Steve Bakali.
FAM Technical Director Benjamin Kumwenda and Technical Officer for Central Region Macwilliams Nkunika are facilitating the course alongside Referees Development Office Fredrick Kholopa who take the coaches through Laws of the game and Levison Mwale who will teach them about Sports Medicine.
