Football Association of Malawi (FAM) supremo Fleetwood Haiya has set the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualification as the target for new senior national football team head coach Kalisto Pasuwa.
Haiya set the target in Blantyre on Wednesday during the unveiling of the former FCB Nyasa Big Bullets mentor as the Flames head coach on a two-year contract. He told FAM media that the Zimbabwean has a proven track record for club and country hence capable of changing the Flames fortunes.
“His number one target is to take us to the 2027 AFCON [finals]. There are other targets to help us build the team for AFCON. For example, we have six matches remaining in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers and we want him to win at least three games,” he said.
“For the COSAFA Cup, much as it is a developmental competition, let us win it in these two years. We have not set any targets for CHAN for the coach.”
Pasuwa’s appointment comes days after doubts following the Malawi National Council of Sports’ stance that FAM did not follow set recruitment procedures of advertising the post. However, Haiya shot down such talk saying: “We followed our processes and procedures and after consultations and recommendations from our stakeholders, we have settled for Pasuwa.”
Pasuwa has since said it is an honor for him to manage the Flames, replacing Patrick Mabedi who was sacked last December.
”I have been here for some years and I know the culture. I know what Malawian players need, and that gives me an advantage. I have been in these shoes before with Zimbabwe and we qualified for the AFCON in 2017. I hope that if we work together, we can achieve the target of going to 2027 AFCON,” he said.
Comments