Gerald Phiri is ‘assistant’ coach: FA Malawi to hire expatriate

The Football Association of Malawi (Fam) has clarified that Gerald Phiri is not the head coach for the national team but an assistant to a yet to be unveiled head coach who will be a foreign expatriate.

Fam General Secretary Alfred Gunda said Phiri, who turns 49 this month, is on a one year contract as first assistant coach while De Clerk Nsakakuona is second assistant coach.

Gunda said they are expecting an expatriate coach by this week and the two assistants will understudy the head coach.

“We expect the head coach by Thursday and would guide the Flames in the Africa Nations Championship (CHAN) qualifier against Madagascar this month,” he said.

Former Zimbabwe senior soccer team coach Kalisto Pasuwa is tipped to be the expatriate coach to be hired by FAM.

A number of coaches had been linked with the job, with former Warriors goalkeeper Bruce Grobbelaar among those reported to have been in the frame to land the biggest coaching job in Malawian football.

Former Warriors coach Ian Gorowa, former Zambia coach Honour Janza and Paolo Duarte had also been bandied about although Pasuwa appeared to be the leading candidate.

FAM had even contacted Pasuwa through his manager Gibson Mahachi as the asssociation prepared to offer him a contract ahead of the upcoming Chan and Afcon qualifiers.

Pasuwa led Zimbabwe to their third Afcon finals in Gabon in January, but failure to go beyond the group stages did not please his employers Zifa who decided against renewing his contract.

Malawi players are in a training camp ahead of their CHAN game away in Madagascar on 22nd April with the return leg at Bingu Stadium a week later.

FAM has also have secured a friendly away to Kenya on 18th April en-route to Madagascar.