Malawi coach Mtawali refuses to guarantee Ng’ambi starting place

Malawi national team head coach Ernest Mtawali has urged Malawians to be less “obsessed” with veteran players and has refused to guarantee Platinum Stars midfielder Robert Ng’ambi a place in his first-choice  Wrld Cup qualifiers line-up to face Tanzania.

Mtawali: Malawi head coach
Mtawali: Malawi head coach

Mtawali has warned all players need to produce good form to be guaranteed a place in the starting line up.

He was responding to the recent public outburst by Ng’ambi after warming the bench for the entire 90 minutes during the two-all-draw in the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Swaziland a fortnight ago.

Mtawali told a news conference at Chiwembe Technical Centre on that he will only call a player based on his form and discipline.

“Robert Ng’ambi is one of the best midfielder we have had in Malawi. He has been influential for the team and I called him because of his leadership skills and discipline. “ don’t want to talk about him but all I can say is that nobody is guaranteed a place in my first line up. Players have to fight for it,” Mtawali said.

He also said all veteran players are not guaranteed a place and need to stay on their toes.

“Evey player has to produce good form – no one is guaranteed a place in the the Flames.The door is not shut. If a player is in good form, he will be called into the team,” added Mtawali.

Mtawali placed hope on new crop if players like Fisd Wizard’s Levison Maganizo and Mighty Wanderers’s Kondwani Kumwenda, saying they are performing well.

“Overall, the players are in a very good shape. I am very impressed with Levison Maganizo and Kondwani Kumwenda as well as Deus Mkutu. Their performance is very good and everything is going according to the plans,” he said

Malawi is preparing for the 2018 World Cup qualification first-round tie away against the neighbours on October 7 with the second leg set for Kamuzu Stadium five days later.

The Flames and other 25 teams, from position 28 to 53 according to July Fifa ranking, will participate in the first round with 13 winners advancing to the second round. If successful against Tanzania, Malawi will face North Africans Algeria in second round.

The 13 teams then join 27 top-ranked teams on the continent to play home-and-away over two legs with the 20 winners advancing to the third round.

The 20 teams will be divided into five groups of four teams to play home-and-away round-robin matches and five group winners will qualify for the 2018 Fifa World Cup.

Football Association of Malawi (FAM) has since announced that the Flames will depart for Tanzania on 4 October.

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Yafet Kanyinji
Yafet Kanyinji
8 years ago

Though perfomance is key wat Earnest has toked cant motivate Robert to play for flames, Managers in EPL, la Liga, Bunde they back players they tok gud about players just to motivate them.We nid combination of old and young guns Mbesuma in Zambia is still playing and he scored in similar competition. We nid Esau Ngambi and Fischer

Dausi Phiri
Dausi Phiri
8 years ago

Ine sindinawonepo kuti pamudzi amapha akuluakulu One nkumayembekezera kuti mudziwo uziyenda bwinobwino. Tiwonera inu a Mtawali ndithu.

brit
8 years ago

kodi olo kochiwathuyu tinkamchemerera ali wosewera anapangapo chiyani olo ndi chikho chiti angaonese kuti anatengerapo?Pasani mwayi anzanu sanje ai,nanunso muna pasidwa mwayi muli kujoni mutatchona.

kaka
kaka
8 years ago

Enerst mtawali ali ndi masiku ochepa chifukwa akulimbana ndi ma players. Ndipo ali ndi nsanje chifukwa bagio akumenya mpira wabwino kuposa mmene enerst amameyra. Musiyeni timuwona. Amalawife sitichedwa kunyanyala. Kusiya bagio , kamwendo ndi mulandu wawukulu. Be ready to pack and go

mnzalero
8 years ago

bajio, kamwendo matama pa field, mbuli inu!! ur old nw & wi hven’t benefit anytin’ frm u. Tikufuna ana ife asewereko! Mtawali big up! Chose players frm de pitch osati chifukwa ndiwakale!

Keen Observer
8 years ago

Who is supposed to eat a humble pie the performance of Ng’ambi today when his team Platinum Stars humiliated Supersport United 3-1 with him scoring a goal. He is a midfielder but look the way he scores in a competitive league like PSL.

Adam christon Masamba
Adam christon Masamba
8 years ago

Komatu baggio mukunyozayo, mukanakhala ngati wina, simunakamunyoza. Kodi Yaya Toure si uyooo adakari mpaka pano, kusewerera team ya ivorecost? Ali ndizaka zingati? Mmmnm, abalee” mtima wansanje muzasiya liti? NdichifukwA chaketu nthawi zina mulungu samakudalisani munyumba mwanu, chifukwa cha mtima wansanje….and his problem simdziwa kusewera mpira, and u like too mucj complain, shame on u. U must go to church sometimes, maybe, god can make favour u.

Keen Observer
8 years ago

For a very long time I have been an admirer of Ntawali but now it seems that Mr Ntawali is losing it. Who needs the one most in between Ng’ambi & Flames?????? By the look of things Ng’ambi is a hot potato at his club Platinum Stars & he does need anything to prove to anyone. He bring paid handsomely in Rands with the current rate of R1-K40 does he need the Flames????? My guess NO but on the other hand as a nation we need a player of his calibre in our national team. So Mr Ntawali just try… Read more »

MaiMai
MaiMai
8 years ago

Kodi Ngambi wanuyo anayamba liti playing for Flames? Which trophy did he bring to Malawi? iyaaaa! shut up ! no wonder ma coach ena nkayitana ndi achina Kondowe in a competitive game ati Anong’a Anog’a zoona???? Agalu inu. Ngambi ndinayamba kumumva ine ndili primary longtime back and now he should be above 48 years koma age yaku RSA adakali 35 years shaaaa!!!

Nkolokolo
Nkolokolo
8 years ago

Yes Baggio is agud player but how many games did he play and Malawi bring atrophy ?even Cosafa cup.sometimes we don’t do well coz professionals guarantee themselves position.Coach do u r job let people talk.

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