The Football Association of Malawi (FAM) has unveiled FIFA appointed Talent Development Scheme (TDS) coach Thabo Senong from South Africa who will in charge of the FAM Luwinga inclusive academy
The former South Africa senior men’s National Team and Under 20 head coach has been contracted for two years and will be deputized by Joseph Malizani, Robert Ng’ambi and Bridget Chirwa.
Speaking during the unveiling ceremony at Bingu National Stadium in Lilongwe on Thursday, FAM President Fleetwood Haiya described Senong’s arrival as a big milestone in the quest to transforming the game in the country.
“I believe your presence at the academy will produce the fruits of my dreams of bringing quality players to our game. We would like to develop an export strategy so that some of the players should play their football abroad.
“Malawi has football talent, and what was missing in us was how to put this talent together and groom it for our game. Looking at how the boys and girls performed at the just ended CAF schools’ zonal competition in Namibia where the girls have qualified for continental phase of CAF schools’ championship and the boys missed by an inch, is enough evidence that we have talent in Malawi. We have the Chawinga sisters who are great women players at world stage. I have no doubt that Luwinga will breed others just soon and together we shall build the legacy”, said Haiya
Haiya further hailed FIFA for the program saying Malawi football will never be the same in few years to come.
The academy opened in September with 42 players, 27 boys and 15 girls who are based in Mzuzu and schooling at Wukani Education Center Mzuzu.
On his part, Senong said he is looking forward to serve in the project to help Malawi FA reach of player education and development.
“Our job now, together with the Technical members at the Academy is to accelerate, train and expose the talents to competitions that we will be playing”
“We will be preparing the kids for the future, preparing them on how they can adapt in foreign leagues and preparing them to compete at the higher level in future”
The FIFA Talent Development Scheme (TDS) is a FIFA project headed by former Arsenal coach and FIFA’s Chief of Global Football development Arsene Wenger.
The programme is aimed at increasing the global competitiveness in men’s and women’s national team football and supporting FIFA member associations at youth level.
