Mponda defends Kinnah: Poor football structures affecting Malawi team

Malawi legendary defender Peter ‘Mjojo’ Mponda has spoken in defence of under fire coach Kinnah Phiri, saying he is  not wholly responsible for underachieving national football team as  lack of football structures has contributed to the  team’s poor performance.

Mponda was referring to recent national team dismal performance which has seen it being booted out in most of the continental and regional tournaments.

He said it is wrong to attribute the team’s poor performance only on one person, the national head coach as Malawi’s football has no structures.

“Malawians may blame the coach for the spate of losses the team has currently suffered, but they have to be made to understand that any team’s performance does not lie in the hands of the coach only.

Peter Mponda : Kinnah not wholly to blame

“I tell you, even if Kinna Phiri was removed today and someone hired in his place, the performance of the team will remain the same. It is high time the Football Association of Malawi (FAM) looked outside the box.

“If we talk about structures in football, it involves a lot like developing the football career from the grass root level, making available enough resources and the upholding of a sense of responsibility in different authorities in the football fraternity, among others,” explained Mponda.

Mponda said in the country there were just a few players who went through the real football structures before playing for the national team.

“I can give an example of Joseph Kamwendo, Robert Ng’ambi, Moses Chavula, Esau Kanyenda and myself. These people I have mentioned are still hot in the football career because they indeed went through football structures,” said Mponda.

He said if Malawi is to have a good national team in the future, then they have to put much emphasis on the under-17 saying by doing so it is part of following the football structures.

One of the sports analysts in the country, Moses Dossi shared the same sentiments with Mponda saying Malawi has not invested enough in football.

Dossi said it is unfortunate that the authorities would like to see the team doing well yet resources which provide for establishment of football structures are not there.

“Look at all teams which are doing well internationally, they first invested and established some structures in order to create an environment for football to thrive.

“Football is a physical game which involves a lot of things which make up the structures. It is therefore very true that Malawi football has no structures,” said Dossi adding that if nothing is done the performance of the flames will continue to dwindle.

Dossi has therefore asked the authorities to invest more in football if they are to build a good national team.

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