A JUNIOR FLAMES COHORT THAT FAILED TO FULFILL ITS POTENTIAL

By qualifying for the 2009 edition of the FIFA U-17 World Cup, which took place in Nigeria, the Malawi U-17 national team became Malawi’s first - and to date only - national team to qualify for a World Cup tournament. Following this monumental achievement, football fanatics across the country earmarked the 2009 U-17 cohort as a collective that was destined to turn Malawi into an African football powerhouse. 

 However, 12 years later, when the average age of the 21-member junior Flames squad that travelled to the tournament is 27.6, the senior national team languishes on position 123 on FIFA rankings and continues to underperform even at COSAFA tournaments.

 So, what happened to this cohort that was expected to propel Malawian football to greater heights? 

As of the 2020/21 football calendar, only 10 of the 21 members that represented the country at the tournament are playing top flight football - all attached to TNM Super League teams. These are: Jailos Kapalamula (MAFCO), Victor Nangwale (Red Lions), Pilirani Zonda (Nyasa Big Bullets), Bongani Kaipa, Francis Mulimbika, Mike Kaziputa (Mighty Wanderers), Gilbert Chirwa (Blue Eagles), Kelvin Hanganda (Kamuzu Barracks), Willie Saenda (Tigers), and Gastin Simkonda (Moyale Barracks). [For a full list of the squad that John Kaputa selected for the World Cup, check here.] 

The rest retired from active football for various reasons or are playing in the country’s lower leagues, which are hard to track given limited digitization. None among those that are still active feature regularly for the senior Flames. 

This outcome represents a quintessential case of Malawi’s failure to harness and maximize the use of its raw talent. Like many other junior Flames cohorts before and after, the 2009 cohort was laden with exciting young footballers. However, for reasons that will be a topic for a different day, the system neglected them when they needed help and guidance – among many needs. 

Below are brief case by case narratives of how careers of some of the brightest talents from the cohort panned out. 

 1. Tony Chitsulo 

The late Tony Chitsulo against Angola 

A mainstay in the starting XI during the qualifiers and at the tournament, the late Tony Chitsulo took the local football fraternity by storm. His blistering form for the junior Flames and his local club Bangwe Madrid had major local clubs scrambling for his signature. He eventually signed for Silver Strikers, where he proved to be an instant success by claiming the 2009/10 TNM Super League golden boot with 18 goals. For a 17-year old, this was a remarkable achievement, which made people believe that the sky was the limit for the diminutive star. However, homesickness and ill-discipline soon compromised the young lad’s trajectory. A protracted transfer saga soon followed as he tried to push for a move to Mighty Wanderers to be closer to home. By the time the saga got resolved, ill health had taken a toll on young Tony that he couldn’t keep up with the physical demands of the game. Sadly, he passed on in 2017. MHSRIP. 

 2. Luke Bruno Milanzi 

Luke Milanzi in Wanderers colors

Following his impressive performances in qualifiers and at the tournament, where he set a record by becoming the first and only Malawian to score at a World Cup tournament, Luke became a hot football prospect. A number of football clubs – both local and international – chased the signature of the pacey forward henceforth. His ability to translate his form to the domestic league, where he scored goals for fun for Eagles Strikers and then ESCOM United, intensified his demand further. Having finished as a co-top goal scorer of the 2010/11 TNM Super League, he then transferred to African giants TP Mazembe, where he was expected to be a future star for the club. Unfortunately, he struggled to establish himself at the Congolese giants. A couple of underwhelming loan moves to Zambia soon followed before he returned home to join Mighty Wanderers – initially on loan. He later had unsuccessful stints with Nyasa Big Bullets, Masters Security, and Blue Eagles before injuries forced him to call it quits. Recently, he has been reported to be pursuing his coaching badges in Mzuzu. 

 3. Andy Simkonda 

Disclaimer: Andy did not make the final squad that travelled to Nigeria. He was controversially left out despite topping the scorers’ list during the qualifiers of the African U-17 Championship (a tournament that was part of the qualifying process for the U-17 World Cup). But before this travesty, Andy had famously announced his presence on the domestic scene by scoring 5 goals in 7-1 victory against Namibia in a qualifiers tie. Signed to Moyale Barracks in the local top flight, he continued to hit headlines with his goal poaching instincts before his career took an abrupt halt due to mental illness. Currently, Andy lives in Chitipa and is still mentally unstable. 

 4. Robin Ngalande 

Ngalande training in Atletico colors

Like Andy Simkonda, Ngalande did not make the World Cup squad even though he was an integral member during the qualifiers and at the AFCON U-17. That aside, Ngalande’s talent was undisputed, which prompted Mamelodi Sundowns and, thereafter, Atletico Madrid to recruit him into their academies in 2009 and 2010, respectively. Unfortunately, he struggled to prolong his stay under Atletico’s books and he returned to South Africa in 2012 to sign for Bidvest Wits. A journey man since leaving Atletico, Ngalande has since featured for Ajax Cape Town, Platinum Stars, Masters Security, Baroka, Zira FK, and is currently playing for Saint George in the Ethiopian League. On a rather positive note, he, Francis Mlimbika and Gastin Simkonda, are the only players from the cohort that have managed to amass more than 15 caps for the senior national team. 

 5. Cuthbert Seengwa 

The main goalkeeper and captain of the cohort, Cuthbert Onani Seengwa caught people’s attention with his commanding presence in the box, fantastic shot-stopping abilities, and leadership potential. Most football pundits regarded him as Swadick Sanudi’s long-term successor for the national team. In fact, he was regarded among the best goalkeepers in the league between 2009 and 2013, during which he played for Civo United, Nyasa Big Bullets, and Epac United. He quit active football in 2013 to focus on entrepreneurship. 

 That the 2009 U-17 cohort failed to fulfil their potential cannot be attributed entirely to individual shortfalls. Rather, the problem is more about the system. To date, our football sector does not have a recognized structure for identifying, recruiting, nurturing, and retaining talent from early age groups to maturity. Without this structure in place, the country will continue to underperform despite producing loads of football talent that soon goes to waste because of an unstructured football sector. The 2009 U-17 cohort was a lost opportunity for the country. 

For context, the following are some of the recognizable footballers that featured for their respective countries at the 2009 U-17 World Cup: Alisson, Coutinho, Neymar and Casemiro (Brazil); Marc-Andre ter Stegen, Mario Gotze, and Mustafi (Germany); Koke, Isco, Alvaro Morata, and Sergi Roberto (Spain); Hueng-Min Son (South Korea); and Granit Xhaka (Switzerland).