Citing its recently completed FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign that saw the Flames only win once, the Football Association of Malawi (FAM) hired Romanian coach Mario Marinică as the Technical Director for the national team ahead of its participation at the Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon. The 56-year-old, who has experience as a coach and executive at clubs in Europe and Africa, will apparently lead the team from the sidelines in an interim capacity at the tournament with head coach Meck Mwase in an assistant coach role.
Under Mwase, Malawi did brilliantly to qualify for its third edition of the Africa Cup of Nations tournament and first since 2010, but fell victim to a tough group in FIFA World Cup qualifying that consisted of Cameroon, Ivory Coast and Mozambique to finish last.
