Pasuwa, Flames still to ink deal

Petros Kausiyo

Zimpapers Sports Hub

LEGENDARY ex-Zimbabwe coach Kalisto Pasuwa is still to ink a deal to become a substantive Malawi senior soccer gaffer amid revelations that the country’s Football Association are now making frantic efforts to tie to an agreement.

Pasuwa, a trailblazing coach who had until 2024 literally swept all silverware on offer in the Malawi top-flight with Nyasa Big Bullets for six successive years, is understood to be still on the radar of a number of clubs in Sudan, Kenya, and Tanzania. He had been named interim Flames coach before the Football Association of Malawi resolved to make him permanent following his departure from Nyasa Big Bullets.

But it has emerged that while talks have opened, both FAM and the coach are yet to seal any deal, although association president Fleetwood Haiya and his executive committee have reportedly made up their minds on getting the ex-Dynamos coach. The lead negotiator in Pasuwa’s management team, Dee Shorai Muchineripi, told Zimpapers Sports Hub yesterday that they are still hopeful of signing an agreement with FAM this week.

Muchineripi dismissed some social media claims that Pasuwa had signed for just a year as Flames coach and that he had already commenced duties. Pasuwa is understood to be keen to get the ball running in terms of preparing for the resumption of Malawi’s 2026 World Cup qualification in March.

“Negotiations are in progress, and we hope that during this week an agreement would have been struck.

“As it stands, Kalisto remains an interim coach while the FAM executive is in talks with us for a substantive basis.

“Once the niggling items are cleared with FA president (Haiya) and his executive committee, then we will sign.

“We will then let the people of Malawi and the football fraternity at large know, but I am sure the finalisation will be done this week.

“I am waiting for their draft, but I have done most of the things we are looking to sign for.

‘It’s true that we are still getting a number of clubs checking on his availability, Zimbabwean clubs, those in Sudan, Kenya, Tanzania, and even in the Malawi Super League,’’ Muchineripi said.

Flamboyant Castle Lager Premier Soccer League newboys Scottland had also put Pasuwa on their radar through one of their benefactors — Harare businessman Wicknell Chivhayo.

That was before Scottland lured Tonderai Ndiraya from Simba Bhora.

Similarly, Premiership champions Simba Bhora had wanted Pasuwa to be Ndiraya’s replacement at the Shamva outfit before they went for Joel Luphahla; the former turned down the overtures on the back of advanced negotiations with the Malawians.

Chibuku Super Cup winners Dynamos, with whom Pasuwa won four straight championships between 2011-2014 had also left the door open for his return to the Harare giants when they got wind of his departure from Nyasa Big Bullets. Pasuwa, whose initial appointment to the national team came as a result of a strong recommendation by the Malawi Technical Committee, is set to be handed a two-year deal in charge of the Flames during which he will also have a huge say on his backroom staff. There are indications that Flames legends Prichard Mwanza and Peter Mponda will be retained in the setup along with another of Pasuwa’s former Nyasa Big Bullets assistants, Mike Ngore, who will come in as a performance analyst. Pasuwa’s first World Cup qualifying Group H assignment will be a home tie against COSAFA rivals Namibia.

In the same month, the Flames will travel for a much tougher assignment away against Tunisia’s Carthage Eagles. The Flames will conclude their Group H March assignments with a date against Equatorial Guinea.