KB star Nkacha, Mithi call for review of Super League Awards

The soccer fraternity  including Kamuzu Barracks match maker Harvey Nkacha who was also voted as the best player in the just ended TNM Super League Season and former Football Association of Malawi (FAM) Executive Committee member Julius Mithi has questioned the criteria used to come up with individual awardees for the country’s flagship league awards.

Teams, players, referees and the media are awarded at the end of the TNM Super League soccer season.

Marking the end of the 2016/17 season, sponsors TNM hosted a gala night on Sunday at the Bingu International Convention Centre where different personalities were awarded.

Nkacha and Mithi add their voices calling upon Super League of Malawi (Sulom) and sponsors
Telecom Networks Malawi (TNM) to seriously consider reviewing prizes awarded to players as one way of improving the standards of football in the country.

The two  said this when contacted by Nyasa Times seeking their views on the positives and negatives of the just ended season as well as fetch tips on how the country’s flagship league can be improved in
the 2017 season.

This follows TNM’s commitment to continue bankrolling the League for another ten years following the expiry of its sponsorship agreement with Sulom in 2006.

In his remarks, Nkacha started by applauding Sulom for signing a contract with Beta TV to enable Malawians watch local games on television.

But Nkacha called for some improvement on how the deal is being handled as some of the contractual agreements are not being honoured.

To improve the game on the field of play, Nkacha pleaded with administrators and sponsors of the league to consider coming up with monetary prizes for players to compete for individually both to do with man of the match as well as player of the month accolades.

“We at least need something worth fighting for not just a TNM branded T-Shirt and a Cup for man of the match and as little as K30,000 for being player of the month. We need to emulate examples set by other
foreign leagues” said Nkacha.

He also asked Sulom to improve fixture schedule to ensure there is uniformality interms of games played by all clubs both home and away.

On his part, the Ex-Fam official concurred with the 2016 Player of the Season that Sulom need to take a closer look on players individual prizes inorder to increase competition.

“I would like to concur with the player [Nkacha] that indeed when Sulom will be negotiating for the new contract, they should look into the welfare of such activities like Man of the Match. Players need to be rewarded handsomely apart from a cap and a mineature they should be given some good amount of cash to fit the economic situation” said Mithi.

Mithi also pointed out that referees need to be graded as many of the current crop doesn’t fit for the elite league.

He also asked Sulom to be transparent enough in the next coming season and work hard to tackle issues of corruption.

“Sulom was not transparent enough for example in awarding of a contract on who should beam Super League games. It is unfortunate that no match was beamed from Northern Region”

“Corruption also need to be checked otherwise the game is going to the dogs if not well checked and controlled” warned Mithi.

Meanwhile, Mithi just like most of the sports followers has backed the idea of setting up a special committee to look into how players and journalists are nominated to receive awards at the end of each and
every soccer season.

The 2016 TNM Super League Awards received mixed reaction with many questioning some of the individuals that were awarded.

It was also learnt that few number of players were awarded comparing to a huge number of journalists.

The list of 2016 TNM Super League Awards were as follows.

REFEREES CATEGORY

-Best Referee: Ishamel Chizinga

TEAMS CATEGORY

-Champions: Kamuzu Barracks
-Most Improved: Mzuni FC
-Fair Play: Moyale, Dwangwa, Blue Eagles

INDIVIDUAL PLAYERS

-Player of the Season: Harvey Nkacha (Kamuzu Barracks)
-Best Goalkeeper: Ernest Kakhobwe (Nyasa Big Bullets)
-Best Defender: Lucky Malata (Silver Strikers)
-Best Midfielder: Dave Banda (Kamuzu Barracks)
-Most improved: Peter Wadabwa (Mighty Be Forward Wanderers)
-Top scorer: Richard Mbulu (Mafco FC)

MEDIA CATEGORY

RADIO
1. Frank Kandu (MBC)
2. Williams Gondwa (Times Group)
3. Lucy Kadzongwe (MBC)

TELEVISION
1. Mike Bango (Zodiak TV)
2. Pilirani Kachinziri (Times TV)
3. Peter Fote (Joy TV)

ONLINE
1. Leonard Sharra (Nyasa Times
2. Jeromy Kadewere (Nyasa Times)

NEWSPAPER
1. Mabvuto Kambuwe
2. Joy Ndovi (NPL)
3. Mphatso Malidadi (Times Group)

COMMENTATORS
1. Steve Liwewe Banda (MBC)
2. Patrick Simango (MBC)

PHOTOGRAPHER
1. Bonnex Julius (Times Group)
2. Bobby Kabango (NPL)

COLUMNIST
1. Peter Kanjere (Times Group)
2. Garry Chirwa (NPL)

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