Some football fans are calling for the Football Association of Malawi (FAM) to fire Flames Coach Mario Marinica. The call has been made after an uninspiring performance at the ongoing 2022 Hollywoodbets Cosafa Cup in the rainbow nation.
The Flames lost their opening encounter against Lesotho by 2 goals to nil and drew against Eswatini and won a ceremonial game yesterday against Mauritius 2-0. Despite yesterday’s face-saver victory, fans are still not satisfied with how the flames are playing claiming that the team is not improving but rather lowering standards with the coach’s so-called fast and very fast type of football.
Fans started complaining about the new pattern of play that Marinica has introduced claiming that we are barely having possession of the ball with our boys keeping on chasing the ball. Despite the win with Ethiopia, the type of football that was played was not entertaining.
He said of his new football philosophy:
“We have a national philosophy “play fast and very fast football”
“Talking about possession in modern football it doesn’t mean anything. Possession is just a number, you have to look at scoring goals, and am not a fan of having more possession but winning matches”.
However, fans are having none of his philosophy.
Said Themba Nyambose
“Let him open a football academy, run it as his own private entity, teach kids under him that ugly football, export them to wherever he can, make money for himself and his cronies and be happy. As fans, we want entertaining football. You can play passing football, a fast one, and score goals. Don’t lie to us that the opposite of your philosophy is a passing game without scoring. No! This man’s football philosophy is ugly, not entertaining, and makes supporters watch each game in pain.”
Chipped in Saul Chakuuma:
“Those who are surprised with the results are those who thought Walter hired a coach. For me Marinica is at a coaching school trying to see what works and what doesn’t. He has not even reached a grade of knowing how to feature players in right positions and if you are someone waiting for results, am sorry to tell you that you have a long wait.”
Martin Mtilatila said it point blank: “He must leave, he has failed us.”
