RVG goes back to Belgium: Working as Malawi coach ‘wonderful experience’

Belgian coach Ronny van Geneugden (RVG) on Wednesday  afternoon left the country for his home country after Football Association of Malawi (FAM) decided not to renew his contract which expired on April 1.

RVG who was seen off at Chileka Airport his former assistant coach Peter Mponda said working in Malawi was a “wonderful experience” which he said he will live to cherish.

FAM executive committee over the weekend decided not to renew RVG’s contract due to poor performance, a recommendation championed by the technical subcommittee.

But the Belgium tactician said there should be stability on Malawi coach post saying changing personnel will make  the job an unstable and unattractive proposition.

“Of you are changing coaches every year or you have 10 coaches in the last 1o years , what is the philosophy,” wondered RVG.

He said the frequent changes at Flames  will not help coaches to  develop a relationship with players.

RVG said the players need to know that the coach’s philosophy and strategy, saying: “You get success if you get time, and stability will come from that.”

He said  it’s very difficult for a coach  to impose his philosophy when you limited to two years,  you can’t build that sort of success.”

Said RVG: “If you want success, you must look at the longer term.”

The coach also said he had laid down a solid foundation for a future national football team despite the association deciding not to renew his contract.

RVG further blamed the office of the technical director and the technical subcommittee for not supporting him.

FAM president Walter Nyamilandu said he felt FAM had let the Belgian coach down.

“I believe we have all let him down. We have bigger issues to resolve structurally and technically. This is a shared responsibility,” he said in an online news conference organised by Bwaila Media Club of Lilongwe.

Under-23 coach Meke Mwase has been roped in as caretaker coach for the Championship of African Nations (Chan) qualifier against e-Swatini (formerly Swaziland) on April 20.