Kinnah Phiri's 'tactician' credentials on the line

When has scratching one's head become a tactic?


Or, put in other words, since when did pointing one's index finger heavenwards start bringing goals?

And, yet, that was the spectacle in Tanzania Thursday, when Malawi's tactless Flames took on Ugandan Cranes.

It was a match Uganda dominated; but in which Malawi won the hearts of many with their accurate passes, breaking the defense of Uganda at will- no goals. Just a single out-of-the-blues goal from bulky striker, Victor Nyirenda, put Malawi ahead- and ostensibly earning him scorer of the fastest goal at the on-going Cecafa tournament in Tanzania.

Malawi held on to that slender lead, but leading has never been winning. Kinnah learned this bitter lesson for the umpteenth time when Uganda equalized six minutes before regulation time.

And the Ugandans deserved it; having been denied a clear goal 20 minutes into the first half, when their captain took advantage of a defensive lapse to over-jump Malawi's Number One Goalie Amidu Ali.

So far, the Flames' defense has been porous; and Kinnah seems to have no way out in his pockets- call it tactic- to fill up that pot hole.

He has stopped behaving as the tactician reporters 'lotion' on to his innocent being..

When have all the tactics gone? Has Kinnah rode on the back of Mother Luck all this time, making Malawians believe they had a Dr. Kamuzu Banda of the pitch?

To make matters worse, Leader of the Malawi Delegation Julius Mithi told Super Sport 6 that Kinnah told the 'boys' to score just one goal in the first half (and relax).

"It was our tactic to score a single goal in the first half. Actually, we want to take the trophy- I understand it will be a replica trophy (since Malawi and Zambia have been invited as guest teams)- to Malawi and leave the rest to the others," said Mithi.

And Mithi was beaming, making a mockery of himself and the nation.

When Uganda equalised, Mithi hid his head in his over-sized hands- ashamed of himself, ashamed of the Flames' 'boys'.

To say the least, the Malawi National Football Team players have been a shame themselves- giving out balls carelessly, then opening their cracked defense.

This made Ali too busy on Thursday, as he saved Malawi from imminent defeat on several occasions.

But he made some 'useless' blunders in the first half, the most notable being the fumble he made in the 10th minute. He was lucky to go for recess with a clean sheet.

Otherwise, Ali was outstanding. At one time, he expertly took hold of a swerving free kick that was but heading into the net.

This notwithstanding, Kinnah's coaching credentials are being tested and, so far, he has failed to live up to the mark.

The players are partly to blame for this; they seem to be less-committed- looking at the way they marked in both the game against Kenya and Uganda.

It would only be proper to shout: Send Kinnah and the boys home!