BY: DRAXON MALOYA

The Malawi national football team (the Flames) coach, Mario Marinica has been exposed as the worst expatiate soccer coach to be employed in the recent times that he cannot take Malawi football anywhere better.

Right in the first match at this year’s COSAFA Senior Challenge football tournament held in Durban, South Africa, the Flames failed to dictate play despite featuring the most experienced players at the regional soccer festival.

A disjointed Malawi national team lacked confidence and composure hence conceding what looks to be the most avoidable goals in recent records of Malawi football at international stage.

There were no any kind words for Marinica from soccer enthusiasts during and after the game on various social media platforms mainly those who watched or followed minute-by-minute coverage of Lesotho versus the Flames game on television, radio or live streaming on Facebook.

“We can’t continue this way, am sure Marinica is an apprentice in the soccer coaching arena and we can not progress this way, let a local coach or that one coaching Nyasa Big Bullets take over from him,” wrote Vinjeru Ngwira on Football Malawi Facebook page.

Commenting on Northern Region Sports Reporters forum, Mzuzu based Nyasa Times reporter, Phillip Pasula also condemned the Flames tactician for losing the match against the little-known Lesotho national team whose FIFA rankings have always been way beyond recognition saying, it is just as if Malawi has no national football team at the moment.

“We don’t have a national team, period,” Pasula said.

During post-match interview Marinca conceded the loss saying his game plan did not materialise hence Lesotho won the match.

“The game didn’t go the way we planned, we had a lot of chances but unfortunately my boys didn’t utilized it. Lesotho is a very organized and structured team no wonder their goalkeeper voted man of the match because of his brilliant saves,” he said.

But a report on the Football Association of Malawi’s Facebook page states that “Malawi’s Flames did everything they needed to do in their 2022 COSAFA Cup opener, dominating possession and creating plenty of chances in the match.

“So blunders in defence and an impressive performance by Lesotho goalkeeper, undid all their efforts as they went down 2-1 in the Group B encounter.”

Meanwhile, scores of soccer enthusiasts across the country are continually calling for the dismissal of Marinica and his whole backroom staff describing them as a bunch of failures who were employed by mistake.

Despite the dismal performance of his charges, Marinică a Romanian football manager and a former player holds the UEFA Pro-Licence, the highest football coaching qualification.