 |
 |
|
|
by Garry Chirwa
Malawi national soccer team coach Burkhard Ziese who was fired on Wednesday this week by the Football Association of Malawi (FAM) scoffed at the decision and insisted that he is still in charge of the national team.
Ziese was manhandled and forced out of Kamuzu Stadium by stewards where he had gone to train the under-23 national soccer team this week.
The stewards, who were deployed by FAM, shoved him around before forcing him out of the stadium.
"This is very unfortunate, they shoved me and they even had their hands in my pants from behind. But I am not going to move an inch backwards. I am still in charge until the Ministry of Sports looks into the issue," said Ziese.
The German, who is never short of controversy, was given the boot by FAM following a recommendation by a disciplinary committee which found him guilty of serious breach of the agreement he signed with the association.
FAM president Walter Nyamilandu told a news conference in Blantyre that after consultation with his executive, Sports Council and the Ministry of Sports, it was unanimously agreed that his contract should be terminated.
"The association will give him his one month salary in lieu of the one month notice period that is supposed to be applied. The development means that the national coach ceases to be in charge of the senior and Under-23 national soccer teams and any other related assignments that were given to him.
"We are of the view that the decision we have taken will stabilise and normalise the current environment in football and help us achieve our goal to qualify for 2010 World Cup," said Nyamilandu.
The FAM president also announced assistant coach Kinnah Phiri will assume full responsibility of the national team including the national Under-23 team, saying his first task will be against Somalia, assisted by Young Chimodzi and Stuart Mbolembole in that order.
In an interview later on Ziese insisted he would still remain in charge until Sports Minister Jaffalie Mussa looks into the issue.
"FAM has no powers to terminate the contract, it’s only the sports minister who can do that. And even if he [minister] upholds FAN’s decision, I have the right to take it up with FIFA, if I am not satisfied.
"It was them [FAM] who first breached the contract. So why should they be wiser now? And when they say termination of contract, what are they talking about because we entered into an international agreement. So what I can tell you now is that I am still in charge," said Ziese.
However, Nyamilandu countered: "Article 7 of the agreement states that whereas any party is guilty of serious breach of any terms stated herein, the other party may terminate this agreement by giving the other party one month of written notice of his intention to do so. And in lieu of notice the party intending to terminate this agreement may pay the other party one month salary. So what is he trying to say? He simply doesn’t know what he is talking about."
Nyamilandu then said the association will now be pursuing measures to have Ziese’s work permit cancelled.
"It will now be the duty of the authorities because he will be living in this country illegally," he said.
Speaking earlier on, Mwakhwawa told the meeting that by failing to attend the disciplinary hearing on Monday evening, Ziese had failed to dispute any charges levelled against him.
"If he was not given sufficient notice the proper thing to do would have been to call FAM or indeed to complain to the disciplinary committee. As such we proceeded to examine the charges in his absence and the charges were unchallenged due to his own absence," said Mwakhwawa.
Ziese was charged with five counts namely:(1) Insubordination and open defiance, (2) Lack of respect to authority, (3) Absconding duties without proper reasons, (4) fraud and corruption, (5) Lack of submission of match reports, (6) Use of abusive language to players and officials.
Ziese has coached in a number of African countries before including Ghana and Zambia.