A senior member of the Football Association of Malawi (FAM) has told BolaNews that national team coaches are complaining that their Technical Director (TD), Yvon Avry, is interfering with their work.

The official said the matter was previously reported to FAM General Secretary (GS) Abdul Chiwalo, but little action has been taken.

The source further alleged that the TD, Avry, has been attempting to take control of training sessions, including influencing starting line-ups for matches.

Avry, who began his role in November last year, has been travelling with the Malawi national men’s team, the Flames, the women’s team, the Scorchers, and the junior Scorchers side.

“With the Flames it has been the same case, but the matter was not reported to FAM; with the Scorchers, the matter was reported to FAM that he is interfering with coach Lovemore Fazili’s work.

“When he wanted to do the same with the U20 team, the matter was reported to the general secretary, who promised to act, but not much has been done,” said the source.

How is TD interfering?

Explaining how the TD allegedly interferes with the coaches’ work, the source said it starts during training sessions and extends to influencing the starting eleven.

“For example, with the Scorchers, he used to control training sessions, so Fazili challenged him for that and later he stopped.

“He was also with the U20 Junior team in Nigeria where the same I hear it, it happened. Plans made by the coach were not used, and he wanted to change positions of some players, which the coaches were not happy with. He doesn’t use coaches’ plans but his. All training seasons it’s him who takes charge, not coaches.

“He wanted to influence the final selection of players, of course coaches have at times challenged his decisions but not all times it works,” he said.

During his unveiling in November, Yvon promised Malawians that he would do his best to develop programmes that would help make Malawi football strong and effective.

He holds a UEFA A Diploma and has vast experience, having served as technical advisor for the Federation of Malagasy and worked as TD for Fosa Juniors FC in Majunga, Madagascar.

He also worked as a FIFA consultant and instructor between 2007 and 2021.

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