Few days after Malawi National Soccer Team Coach Mario Marinica announced that he is coaxing players in the diaspora with Malawian roots to come and play for their mother country, 21 year-old England based attacker Shaquille Gwengwe has expressed interest to come home and be assessed for a possible romance with the Flames.
Stout and towering forward, Gwengwe plays as an attacking forward for Dorchester Town Football Club, a third tier team in the English Southern League Division.
Gwengwe: Loyal to the Motherland
He has so far scored seven goals with four assists in 15 games since joining the team in July, 2022.
Speaking in an exclusive interview from his base in the UK, Gwengwe said he is ready to represent his mother country and make her proud.
“The Flames need a player like me, young, exciting, hardworking and ruthless,” said Gwengwe who was born in Lilongwe and moved to UK at the age of two.
“It would be a pleasure to represent my mother’s country and make her proud. To the football authorities in Malawi, I am ready, come and get me.”
Asked what makes him believe that he is ripe for national duty, Gwengwe said a hardworker as he is, he is ready for anything that comes his way.
“I have got a career and dreams to chase and with God I will make it successful and when I first started playing football, I knew exactly where I wanted to be. This is not going to be easy, it will be a challenge but I am ready.
“This is the line of work I have spent 19 years plus trying to perfect. I am ready for whatever comes my way. Hard work and God, nothing can stop me,” he emphasized.
In a telephone interview, Flames Coach Mario Marinica said he knows about the player, but doesn’t have enough details about his eligibility to play for the national team.
“I don’t want to raise much expectations. There are a number of factors involved. We have to monitor him first and make a decision. Let him get in touch with me or FAM general secretary,” said Marinica.
Efforts to speak to Football Association of Malawi (FAM) President Walter Nyamilandu and General Secretary Alfred Gunda proved futile as their mobile phones were incommunicado.
Sports Analyst Kimu Kamau said Gwengwe should be given a chance to prove his worth.
“It is very difficult to lure players in diaspora to come and play for the national team and if (Shaquille) Gwengwe is willing to come home and play for his motherland, let him be given a chance,” said the free speaking Kamau.
“We need more Shaquille Gwengwes to strengthen our national team. It is a good initiative to have players in diaspora with Malawian roots to come and play for the national team just like our friends such as Ghana have done.”
“This is the line of work I have spent 19 years plus trying to perfect. I am ready for whatever comes my way. Hard work and God, nothing can stop me,” he emphasized.