A fever is rising in Malawi. And the Flames, the national football team caused it. Hope is now very much alive that the small country will qualify for the World Cup 2010. One men is responsible for turning the country up side down: coach Kinnah.
The years between 1977 and 1988 could be described as the golden age in Malawi football. It is an era when Malawi won Confederation of East and Central Africa Football Associations (CECAFA) challenge cup three times in 1978, 1979 and 1988.
During this period, Malawi produced icons such as Kennedy Malunga, Frank Sinalo, Young Chimodzi, Jack Chamangwana and Kinnah ‘Electric’ Phiri. The same Kinnah who now is responsible for the renewed excitement.
Twenty-four years later, on October 11, after decades of despair, the Flames beat DR Congo 2-1 to proceed to the last qualifying round, but celebrations that followed could have made someone mistake that Malawi had qualified for 2010 World Cup.
The carnivore that followed in the streets of Blantyre, Lilongwe and Mzuzu cities started two hours way before the end of the games that would determine if the Flames had qualified as best runners-up. Who could blame the victory starved fans who had lost trust in the Flames regarded as regional under-dogs?
And to borrow the Malawi FA President Walter Nyamilandu’s words; It was one of the most single moments in the country in recent history when the nation celebrated together despite the social-political divide that exits among its 12 million people.
The hero of the day was not Black Leopards’ midfielder Robert Ng’ambi, who scored the equalizer. Nor was it Chiukepo Msowoya, the super-sub who scored the winner in the dying minutes of the game in a fashion similar to that when he destroyed Egypt in June.
Instead fans lifted Flames coach Kinnah sky high, the man who took over from beleaguered Stephen Constantine in May, less than ten days before the qualifiers kicked-off.
Kinnah’s background
Born 54 years ago, Kinnah started his football career at secondary school where his talent saw him recruited in Malawi schools national team. He was part of the squad that beat Botswana 8-0 in 1972 scoring four of the goals. He joined one of the country’s most successful clubs, Big Bullets where his exploits attracted national team coach Ted Powell.
Kinnah earned the nickname ‘Electric’ from Zambian football commentator Dennis Liwewe because of his wizardly dribbling skills at 1975 CECAFA championship where Malawi lost to Kenya in the final.
In 1978, Kinnah, steered Malawi to CECAFA championship after banging in seven goals including a brace when Malawi beat Zambia in the final.
His extraordinary skill, that allowed him to waylay defenders at will, caught the eye of agents. In 1982 he was offered a $2 million contract by Saudi Arabian side Sharja FC with a salary of $25,000 per month. Sadly, the then one party dictator system of government refused to clear Kinnah fearing that he would end up switching nationalities.
Excile
Disgruntled, Kinnah sneaked out of the country, joined Manzini Wanderers in Swaziland where he spent most part of his exile as coach and player.
His brilliant performance impressed Swazi FA who offered him national team coach job on condition that he denounces his nationality, but patriotic Kinnah turned down the offer.
After decades of self imposed exile, Kinnah returned home in 2003 and joined his former club Big Bullets. In 2004 he took the ‘People’s Team’ to Caf Champions league group stage to become the first local club to reach that stage.
Despite his impeccable CV, the FA remained sceptical and was reluctant to employ Kinnah as Flames coach.
Frustration crept in and impatient Kinnah left for South Africa in 2005 where he picked up a job with national division side Free State Stars.
Foreign coaches
Between 2000 and 2005 the FA tried expatriates Kim Splidsboel (2001-2002), Allan Gillet (2002-2003), and later locals Eddington Ng’onamo, Yasin Osman and John Kaputa but with no significant result to boast about.
In 2005 Burkhard Ziese signed a two-year contract but the German’s stint was disastrous and after a year of losses and wrangles with the FA, he faced the boot.
The FA took heed of public outcry and called Kinnah, but only to engage him on caretaker basis. Kinnah managed to beat Zimbabwe 1-0 in the first leg of Africa Nations Cup qualifier and things seemed to be turning a corner for the Flames.
However, in a twist of events, Fam decided to employ former Constantine and eventually Kinnah was dumped in controversial circumstances.
Kinnah left for United Kingdom for a Uefa B Licence course and while in UK, Free State recalled him and his return to SA so the club earning promotion to Premier Soccer League.
Constantine’s reign proved scandalous. His fist eight months saw him losing a record six consecutive games as Malawi failed to qualify for Ghana Africa Nations Cup, but though it was obvious that his strategies were backfiring, he refused to quit.
Malawi government, the Flames’ main sponsors, who were coughing a salary of K1.5 million (about 10,000 US dollars), lost patience and so did the pressure mount on the FA.
Caught between maintaining Constantine and firing him to risk paying millions in damages, the FA found itself between a rock and a hard place.
Constantine was given a two game ultimatum which he passed after beating Swaziland and Namibia in friendlies.
He beat Mozambique 2-1 at home in African Champions but failed to qualify to the next round after losing 1-0 away to Mozambique.
Dreading the reception back home, Constantine took a flight back to his homeland straight from Maputo citing lack of resources as his main obstacle.
Kinnah as the national coach
Kinnah was immediately recruited with a salary of K500,000, (about 3,000 US dollars) one third of Constantine’s. "I felt honoured that I was given an opportunity to return home and coach our national team,” Kinnah said. “It’s not about money, but serving my country.”
Kinnah confesses that the job of rebuilding the team was tough. “The main problem was the players’ confidence. The game against Djibouti which we won 8-1, did a lot of self esteem building,” explained Kinnah.
Sadly, the Flames’ 1-0 away loss to DR Congo in their second game took the team back to the drawing board.
With the date for the next game against Egypt fast approaching pressure started piling on Kinnah.
Malawi beating Egypt
On that winter Saturday afternoon the Flames were never given a benefit of a doubt, but they put up a classic performance outclassing the Pharaohs. "Malawi played a better game, that's all I can say," a visibly shocked Egypt coach Hassan Shehata summed up the Flames’ performance after the game.
Celebrations went on for days but analysts warned that Egypt would be hard to overcome at home. The Pharaohs came flat out spitting venom in the return leg in Cairo. A brace from Emad Moteab left Malawi’s hopes of qualifying frail.
A two-month recess followed punctuated by a cloud of uncertainty hovering over the Flames’ future. A poor showing at Cosafa in South Africa where Malawi was booted out in the preliminary stage left many sceptical.
Kinnah was dealt a blow when Russia based marksman Essau Kanyenda and Sweden based gangling forward Russell Mwafuriwa were ruled out of Djibouti game due to injuries.
Although Malawi beat Djibouti 3-0, the result was worthless considering that it would not count in determining who would be the best runners-up. The game against DR Congo remained Malawi’s only chance to qualify.
The 2-1 victory over DR Congo completed the Flames’ rekindling but Kinnah is aware that the war is far from over.
A strict disciplinarian, a trend typical of players of his era, Kinnah’s legacy makes him a role model.
‘It is leadership that matters’
Asked what the secret behind the Flames’ success was, the soft spoken coach points out that it is the leadership that matters.
The coach pays tribute to his backroom staff of his assistant former Flames internationals Young, technical director Jack.
“It boils down to the leadership starting at the Sports Ministry who have supported the national team, down to the captain in the field of play. This is what enables the team to prepare through for the games,” Kinnah said.
On the draw that has for the first time pitted Malawi against West Africa rivals Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso and Guinea in Group E, he said:
“We are like a closed book waiting to be opened. That’s what makes us unique. They don’t know our style of play, but we know them very well. It’s going to be quite interesting playing them.”
Kinnah says while the West Africans rely much on individual performance, the Flames advantage was team work.
“They have the bulk of their star players playing in European top leagues. Once these star players are tightly marked, its trouble for them. But as for us, we don’t need names, we play as a unit,” Kinnah said.
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