By GODFREY DUBE –
GOVERNMENT says the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) is at liberty to dispense with the services of Zambia coach Wedson Nyirenda if it feels the need to but it cannot count on state coffers to pay for an expatriate coach.
Mawere said while the government was a big stakeholder in the FAZ, it was not in place to finance the appointment of an expatriate if the FAZ sacked Nyirenda, who reportedly trousers $10,000 a month.
Fans, disenchanted with Nyirenda’s inconsistent results have called for the his sacking, citing Zambia’s failure to qualify the Chipolopolo to the Russia 2018 World Cup finals, disappointment at the African Nations Championship (CHAN) held in Morocco and frustration in the recent four-nation invitational held in Ndola.
The Minister said in an interview on Tuesday that FAZ was an autonomous and independent body while government was a big stakeholder in terms of the welfare of the coach but it would not be burdened with the hire of an expatriate coach.
Foreign coaches employed by the FAZ have almost always ended up on the government’s payroll, earning many times more than is paid to local trainers doing the same job.
Frenchman Herve Renard, who won Zambia an historic African Cup at the 2012 finals was on a reported $100,000 per month.
Mawere said if FAZ had resources to engage an expatriate coach then government would not stand in their way.
He said government was a strategic stakeholder of FAZ and was responsible for paying the national team coach but would only pay for an expatriate coach if the salary was the same like for the local trainer because funds were limited.
“FAZ is an independent and autonomous in their operations but as government we are a big stakeholder with the responsibility of taking care of the welfare of the coach. Whatever decision FAZ would come up with after sitting they must consult Government because we may have our own stance,” Mawere said.
Mawere said it was important for the FAZ technical committee to review not only the performance of the coach but the entire technical bench and the team.
“We have to sit at an appropriate time after they review the performance but it should not be based on an individual but the team and the technical bench. The fact that government pays the coach means that they cannot leave us out of this process,” he said.
He added while the FAZ continued to depend on the government for funding, the decision to hire an expatriate coach could not be made without its full support.