Mixed reactions as hot debate ensues over reports of Wanderers coach Ramadhan’s resignation

* I have always faulted Wanderers on two decisions — to make Meke Mwase assistant coach and to buy players before signing a coach

* Meke is a full senior coach by our standards. In fact, he is senior to Silver’s Peter Mponda on the professional and career ladder

By Duncan Mlanjira

Following back-to-back 0-2 defeats against Silver Strikers in Week 7 and Mzuzu City Hammers in last Saturday’s Week 8 assignments, that has left Mighty Wanderers on 5th position with 12 points, Nomads fans are livid over this performance.

At the same stage last season, Wanderers had 17 points from five wins, two draws and one loss and after the match in Mzuzu, a section of angry Wanderers fans had to be refrained by police and the team’s security from attacking the team — while demanding the sacking of head coach Nsanzwirimo Ramadhan.

The Daily Times newspaper has reported today that the gaffer has resigned, citing a letter the Burundian sent to the team’s president Thom Mpinganjira, that was quoted as saying: “If the table doesn’t serve you anymore, what do you do?”

The paper contacted Wanderers’ chief executive officer, Panganeni Ndovi, who said as of yesterday his office had not received an communication from the coach — but from his tone it seems the Nomads will accept the coach’s resignation.

Ndovi is quoted as saying: “If the coach has indeed left his job, we expect him to follow the right channel and if it is indeed true then the available technical staff members will take up his role, with Meck Mwase, his deputy, taking up in the meantime.”

The resentment by Wanderers fans over the performance stems from the fact that the Nomads finished trophy-less last season after their arch rivals Nyasa Big Bullets swept all silverware — the TNM Super League, FDH Bank Cup, Castel Challenge Cup and the Airtel Top 8.

Their performance led to the resignation of English coach, Mark Harrison and in trying to revamp the team, management brought in new players — striker Clement Nyondo, defender Timothy Silwimba, midfielder Blessings Singini as well as a Cameroonian striker Sama Tanjong but still waiting for his clearance.

Ramadhan — who first arrived in the country to coach Big Bullets and went on to coach Malawi national football team — was engaged as coach after the first three players were signed.

His experience includes coach in South Africa, Tanzania, Botswana and in his native Burundi and he was tasked to win trophies including the TNM Super League 2024, which the Nomads last won under veteran coach Yasin Osman, who is Ramadhan’s technical director.

The hot debate on Facebook was ignited by Hope Mezuwa, who described Ramadhan’s decision to resign as “very considerate and not opportunistic” on the part of the coach.

“There aren’t many of his calibre, I think, now,” he said. “The league is still young. He is not just after money but his reputation as well. He had a choice of hanging on regardless of the results as long as he got paid.

“Whatever the reasons for his resignation are, he has done what many don’t do in this part of the world.

“I have always faulted Wanderers on two decisions — to make Meke Mwase assistant coach and to buy players before signing a coach. Meke is a full senior coach by our standards. In fact, he is senior to [league leaders Silver Strikers’ coach Peter] Mponda on the professional and career ladder.

“Mponda is a full coach at Silver Strikers. As caretaker coach, Meke led Flames to the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). The thought of him deputising Ramadhan at club level beats my thinking.

“From a management and governance angle, there’s a risk of friction in camp which ends up in unproductivity of the entire team. Put simply, atambala awiri salilira khola limodzi.

“On buying players before the coach, I always wonder on whose recommendations this happened. I thought it had to be the other way round. It’s hard to expect wonders.

“Anyway, Ramadhan has done Wanderers a great favour, they have time to go back to the drawing board and come back even mightier. The league is still a long way to go, after all. All the best, coach.”

Noel Mtogolo and several others agreed with Mezuwa on the signing of new players before engaging a coach with Mtogolo saying it was a “costly decision” while Pempho Misanjo said “it’s not about the players performing or not, it’s about how a club is run — no club in the world does what is done at Wanderers”.

Misanjo hinted that the club president Thom Mpinganjira “keeps on interfering with the technical part as well”, saying this is “very unprofessional”.

Paul Malunga chipped in to say he saw the poor performance coming after the signing of the players before the coach, and he quoted Ramadan that upon arrival in February, he had indicated that he didn’t want the player the Nomads bought from Dedza Dynamos.

“Do you remember what the management said — they told him to keep the player (laughs). One may have money but may not be a good manager. Respect one’s professional field.”

Blessious Stanley observed that the new players were recommended by former coach Harrison well ahead before he resigned. He went on to say: “…the truth is, Wanderers is full of people who don’t understand their job description.

“That Board has always been and is still the problem led by the president himself. This other day he accused that Harrison didn’t heed advice on whom he should choose to play and that’s the reason they relieved him his duties. Is that the president’s duty to select players?”

On the selection of Mwase as assistant coach and Osman as as technical director, Matthews Jnr Chipapi was of the opinion that Ramadhan “is good but the environment was not favourable”.

“Atambala atatu salira khola limodzi (three roosters are never put in one pen). In this ladder [of technical panel] divisions usually happen and the best is to let it go [as Ramadhan has done].

Washington Kanyenda observed that the scenario at Wanderers should have been admitted that they are on a rebuilding process, saying expecting instant winning results was beyond their reach, adding that Silver and Big Bullets as far ahead in tactical superiority.

Martin Harawa commented that Ramadhan “has shown maturity because he knows it wasn’t going to work out [as] the pressure on him to deliver was just too much”, while Ian Khomera was of the option that maybe the Burundian just saw it wise to leave as he had been insulted after the game on Saturday by the angry fans that he was reminded that he was a foreigner and must leave.

A report by Malawi24 said after the final whistle, the fans surrounded the team bus to demand the firing of the coach, chanting that “he has to go, he has done nothing and the team is struggling. We don’t need him”.

The police and the team’s security team had to intervene and tried to calm the fans down.