Sports Minister defends RVG’s poor performance in Malawi Parliament
Minister responsible for sports, Francis Kasaila, defended Malawi natonal team coach Ronny van Geneugden’s poor performance in Parliament following a call by Member of Parliament for Mchinji North East for the Belgian to be fired.
The Mchinji North East legislator, Alex Chitete, who seemed to have very good statistics about Malawi football, told the august House that Malawi has had 17 coaches in 17 years as he mentioned one coach after another to the present coach RVG.
“The way this present coach was hired is questionable. The performance of our national football team is undesirable. I therefore ask the responsible ministry to fire him for the betterment of our nation,” said Chitete.
RVG has come under fire from some soccer followers following disappointing results within the one year that he has been in charge of the Flames, including failed successive Cosafa Cup campaigns.
Under his tutelage, the national team has won twice, drawn nine and lost four.
Responding to Chitete’s remarks, Kasaila praised RVG for transforming the Flames from a long passing team to a short passing side with his football philosophy.
“The problem with our team is that it is not able to score goals regardless of its improved style of play,” explained Kasaila.
He went on to ask Malawians to be patient with the expatriate coach who has completed a year from his two year contract, adding that his fate will be decided by the Football Association of Malawi (FAM) after completion of his two years.
FAM president Walter Nyamilandu is on record saying results are key in the coach’s contract contrary to what RVG’s claims that results are not a key priority but team building and creating a unique style of play for the long term.
The Belgian said building a national team is a process, which cannot be done overnight.
