Malawian players rush to sign contracts in Mozambique

Malawian players rush into signs football contract with Mozambican clubs without proper understanding   the contents, former Defender for Chingale of Tete and Be Forward Wanderers, Louis Minjale has observed Thursday in interview in Lilongwe.

He said as of late Malawian players are only playing for a season in the Mocambola league after failing to agree on issues affecting their contracts.

“Maybe it is out of excitement that these players are just signing the contracts without properly scrutinizing them. As a player you need to understand the contract terms before putting pen to paper,” Minjale who had a five year stay in the league explained.

He said most contracts are written in Portuguese and it become difficult for a player to call for a translated copy hence they are just forced to sign the contract without proper understanding of the contents.

Minjale said this has negatively impacted on the players when they want to have an extension to their contracts.

“The Mozambican clubs officials are now very tricky on issues of contact agreements. When you want to renew your contract, you find out that some of the issues have either being reduced or removed without discussing with you. This has led to have many Malawi players failed to renew their contract and opted to return home.” He narrated.

Minjale observed that lack of proper managers has contributed to this because the clubs in Mozambique are taking advantage to abuse the players.

“My appeal to Malawian players, they should call for an English version of their contracts before signing it. They need to understand terms and condition of the contracts before hand,” Minjale advised.

Former Flames goal minder, Simplex Nthala, who was also in Mozambique from 2011 to 2016, agreed that good players like him, Chimango Kayira and Foster Namwera have opted to leave the league just because things are changing from good to bad.

He said when I went to Mozambique in 2011, clubs were offering better contracts to foreign players but not things have completed changed.

“Clubs in Mozambique were offering better perks as compared to Malawi and they have a good welfare of their players at heart. Now things are not the same. Some clubs officials want just to abuse players by offering them contracts which are not so attractive to them,” Nthala added.

He said Mocambola league hosts a number of foreign players and their game is now improving for the better but issues of contracts need to be looked into if they are to attract more players.

Former Liga Desportiva de Maputo Keeper echoed that most Malawian players fail to continue with their contartcs because clubs take advantage on us when we don’t have managers.

“They can promise to give you something that at most times fail to fulfill. We have nowhere to complain and we end up being frustrated and make unnecessary decisions to move on.” Nthala hinted.

He said this year almost all the teams have reduced the benefits from the contracts i.e Salaries and contract money which I believe this will negatively affect the performance of the league.

“Honestly speaking what makes most Malawian players fail to continue with their contracts it’s the financial crisis that has affected Mozambique. Most of the clubs are struggling to pay good wages but that’s my opinion,” former Flames left back, Moses Chavula viewed.

He said at his current club, ENH FC based in Vilanculos about 776 kilometres away from Maputo, there are seven foreign players, two from Ghana, one from Cameroon, three Malawians and a Zambian.

Chavula who is in his fifth year in the league, disclosed that two Malawian players were registered as local players.

When contacted on the issue, Football Association of Malawi (FAM) Vice President, James Mwenda refused to shade more light on the development.

It has been noted that most of Malawian players do not present themselves to Malawi High Commission in Maputo to register themselves as members of Malawian community in Mozambique.

Some of the players still playing in the Mocambola league include, Zicco Nkanda, Ndaziona Chatsalira, John Banda, Cuthbert Kuwali, Richard Mbulu, Dangalira Mmelemba, Jimmy Ukonde, Dave Mphaya and Chawanangwa Kaonga.

Mocambola league has 16 teams.

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