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His first competitive assignment will be the Cosafa Cup quarter-final clash against the Warriors on July 13.
The Warriors, now under the guidance of German Klaus Dieter Pagels, may have long since moved on after the deal to have Saintfiet as their coach suffered a still birth three years ago.
But his first meeting with the Warriors will certainly bring some bitter memories within the Zifa corridors for the unpleasant manner in which their short-lived marriage ended.
This is because Saintfiet later took legal action against Zifa after he was deported from Zimbabwe for coaching the Warriors without securing a work permit first, with the 40-year-old Belgian’s reign in the senior team dressing room, lasting just two days before he was bundled onto a Botswana-bound bus.
The Belgian later claimed that Zifa owed him nearly US$500 000 in damages for allegedly breaching the three-year contract he had entered with the association and also wanted the local soccer mother body to pay the Namibian Football Association for his decision to dump them.
Back home Zifa were also dragged to the Harare magistrates’ court for contravening the Immigration Act in the way they attempted to hire Saintfiet. Saintfiet, who was in charge of Namibia at the last Cosafa Cup hosted and won by Zimbabwe in 2009, has been much-travelled in between, having also having briefly worked with the Warriors and Ethiopia, we well as acting as technical director of Nigeria and coaching in Jordan.
Now Saintfiet has been tasked with leading the Flames to glory in the Cosafa Cup as well as helping them reach the final qualifying stage for the 2014 World Cup.
Although Saintfiet’s first official match in charge of the Flames against Zimbabwe could be an emotional occasion , he could face another flood of memories against another country where he also had a chance to work, Nigeria.
Malawi will play their last Group F qualifier against Nigeria on September 6, knowing a win will put them through to the play-offs.
The Super Eagles lead the group on nine points, two ahead of the Flames.
“I have agreed a two-month contract as national team coach of Malawi, this all with only one goal, try to qualify Malawi for the World Cup 2014 in Brazil,” Saintfiet confirmed to Cosafa website yesterday.
“Malawi play their last qualifier against Nigeria on September 6, if Malawi wins they are going to the last play-off matches and Nigeria will be out.”
“I know Nigeria and I know Malawi, I am convinced that Malawi has the quality to win and qualify for the play-offs. I have only one goal and ambition, qualifying Malawi for the World Cup 2014 in Brazil.
“After the match against Nigeria we will see if we go further or not, if we win, it will be for sure yes,” said Saintfiet.
Saintfiet will fly out to Malawi tomorrow (Thursday) to watch the friendly match against Mozambique.
Malawi will then face the Warriors in the Cosafa Cup one week later.
The Flames will host Mozambique’s Mambas on Saturday as part of activities marking Malawi’s Independence Celebrations at Civo Stadium.
Football Association of Malawi chief executive officer Suzgo Nyirenda announced over the weekend that Mozambique’s 25-member squad is expected to jet into Lilongwe on Friday, jus a day before they date the Flames in a match the hosts are using as final preparations for their Cosafa showdown with champions Zimbabwe.
Just like the Warriors, who have opted for home-grown talent for the Cosafa Cup, Malawi’s squad is dominated by locally-based players who were expected in camp yesterday with Silver Strikers’ new revelation Chawanangwa Kawonga being one of the locals to have earned a call up.
But it is the Saintfiet factor that has brought in another interesting dimension to the showdown between the Warriors and the Flames on neutral soil in Zambia.
Warriors’ assistant coach Lloyd Mutasa acknowledged as much yesterday and said they were expecting an even tougher encounter especially as Saintfiet will be taking aim at Zimbabwe.
“I think it will be a very interesting game considering that Tom never got an opportunity to coach Zimbabwe and yet he really wanted the job here and he would want to obviously prove a point.
“But we are the defending champions and we and we want to keep our title and our pride intact,’’ Mutasa said.
The FC Platinum coach said their recent visit to Malawi for an international friendly which the two sides drew 1-1 had helped give them an idea of the kind of opponent they will face in the Cosafa Cup.
“We had an insight into Malawi when we played them before the Cosafa draw had been conducted but now that they have had a change of coach there might be some changes in their tactics and personnel.
“But I still think we have a slight advantage in that while we have an insight on them, their incoming coach might not have a full insight of the squad we have now but really we are just looking at being ready for the tournament.
“The big man (Pagels) will be back in the country by Sunday and the following day we will get down to business,’’ Mutasa said.
Pagels had been holed up in Germany where he chose to fly direct to after the Warriors’ forgettable trip to Guinea for a World Cup qualifying assignment but is expected back in the country at the weekend to resume his duties.
Mutasa also said while the Warriors would be hoping to successfully defend their Cosafa title in Zambia, they will also be having one eye on their next major assignment — the African Nations Championships qualifier against Mauritius in Antananarivo on July 28, a week after the Cosafa final would have been played.
Unlike the Warriors, who are seeded in the Cosafa tourney, Mauritius would have to negotiate their way in a Group A that also includes fellow Indian Ocean islanders Seychelles and Namibia.
Mutasa said the Warriors would be closely assessing Mauritius’ games at the Cosafa tournament.
“It is going to be an advantage to us that we will have a chance to closely look at Mauritius before we meet them for the CHAN tournament.
“We are also happy that the CHAN assignment is coming soon after the Cosafa because we will have more time with the guys in camp,’’ Mutasa said.
Online Reporter