The Football Association of Malawi says gone are the days of giving the goalkeeping department little attention as it is one of the most important positions in a team.
FAM Technical Director Captain John Kaputa made the remarks at the opening ceremony of a first ever five day Fifa goalkeeping coaching course at the Mpira Village in Chiwembe.
Kaputa said the country can only produce great goalkeepers with proper training as all along the trainers have been improvising.
“The goalkeeper trainers we have are just former goalkeeper who use their knowledge from their playing days to train goalkeepers.
“Goalkeeping is an important field because everything ends up in goals. If you want to win matches you must not concede and that can only happen if you have well taught custodians,” said Kaputa.
The course instructor South African based Alejandro Heredia said goalkeeping has been neglected all over the world in the past and Fifa wants to change that mindset.
“Malawi is lucky to have the opportunity of hosting this course whose syllabus has been improved recently,” said Heredia.
The course has attracted participation of goalkeeper coaches from all the 16 Super League teams and notable faces include former internationals Sibusiso Padambo of Silver Strikers, Vales Kamzere of Mighty Be Forward Wanderers, Phillip Nyasulu of Civo, Weston Chifutwe of Max Bullets and Swadick Sanudi of Nyasa Bullets.
Maggie Chombo Sadik and Lukia Sanudi are the only female participants