Malawi fires ex-stars coach

Former Black Stars coach Burkhard Ziese has been fired by Football Association of Malawi (FAM) following a Tuesday recommendation by the FAM Disciplinary Committee,media source reported Thursday.

Walter Nyamilandu, president of the FAM, said after wide consultations with his executive, Sports Council and the Ministry of Sports, that it was unanimously agreed Ziese's contract should be terminated with immediate effect.

"The association will give him his one month's salary in lieu of the one month notice period that is supposed to be applied," Nyamilandu told a press conference alongside.

"That means the national coach ceases to be in charge of the senior and Under-23 national soccer teams and any other related assignments that were given to him."

The German, who is never short of controversy, was given the boot after being found guilty of serious breach of the agreement he signed with the association.

Nyamilandu also announced that assistant coach Kinnah Phiri will assume full responsibility of the national team including the national Under-23 team.

He said Phiri's first task will be against Somalia. But that was not to be - at least for Wednesday.

Just hours after being fired, Ziese scoffed at the decision while working at Kamuzu Stadium to put the Under-23 national soccer team through its paces in preparation for Saturday's Beijing Olympics qualifier against Somalia.

After going through the letter of his contract termination, which was given to him at the stadium, Ziese went ahead to drill the Under-23s.

In an interview later, Ziese insisted he would still remain in charge until Sports Minister Jaffalie Mussa looks into the issue.

"FAM has no powers to terminate the contract, it's only the sports minister who can do that. And even if (the minister) upholds FAM's decision, I have the right to take it up with FIFA, if I am not satisfied.

But Nyamilandu countered: "Article 7 of the agreement states that whereas any party is guilty of serious breach of any terms stated herein, the other party may terminate this agreement by giving the other party one month of written notice of its intention to do so.

"And in lieu of notice the party intending to terminate this agreement may pay the other party one month salary. So what is he trying to say? He simply doesn't know what he is talking about."

Nyamilandu then said the association will now be pursuing measures to have Ziese's work permit cancelled.

"It will now be the duty of the authorities because he will be living in this country illegally," he said.

Ziese is accused of insubordination and open defiance; lack of respect for authority; absconding duties without satisfactory reasons; fraud and corruption; lack of submission of match reports and use of abusive language to officials and players.