#FOOTBALL 411: Lack of money may block Flames’ calabar trip, another obstacle has hit Malawi’s plans of storming Calabar to dent Nigeria’s pride and World Cup 2014 chances, as the East African Nation’s soccer ruling body has admitted that they lack enough money to fly the national team for the September 7 final Group F encounter at U.J. Esuene Stadium. In what becomes a change from heated diatribe and boasting the impending visitors have issued in recent days through their Belgian head coach, Tom Saintfiet and Football Association of Malawi (FAM), the latest information on offer from Lilongwe reveals that The Flames may be unable to raise needed funds for their trip to Calabar. Amidst revelations that FAM have apparently used up the bulk of their annual budget, the National team may now be unable to prosecute their qualifier against the Super Eagles due to shortfall in funding, while officials admitted that The Flames require about $121, 212 to travel to Nigeria. FAM admitted further that they have spent most of their annual allocation on participating in the regional COSAFA Cup held in Zambia as well as their last two World Cup qualifiers against Kenya and Namibia. Although Saintfiet released a list of 23 players that will take on the Eagles next weekend, FAM’s lack of funds means The Flames will be unable to camp for four days in Botswana, where they had been scheduled to play a friendly against the national team. If The Flames are eventually unable to travel to Calabar, they will forfeit the three points on offer to Nigeria and may be punished by FIFA, but FAM general secretary, Suzyo Nyirenda, while admitting the dire situation affecting the team, said the association is staying optimistic that the Malawian government will come to their rescue. “We don’t have the required amount of money. Government has indicated the funds that were used during World Cup qualifiers against Kenya and Namibia were part of the 2013/14 national budget. “We were not aware of this arrangement, we have been taken unaware because, to us, expenses that were incurred prior and after Kenya and Namibia games were settled by funds within the 2012/13 financial year which ended on June 31, 2013,” Nyirenda was quoted by Nyasatimes.
Posted on: Wed, 28 Aug 2013 18:15:41 +0000
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