Malawi fans give ex-Chippa coach Mark Harrison hearty welcome
Former Chippa United coach Mark Harrison received a hearty welcome at Chileka International Airport in Malawi on Tuesday afternoon.
The Englishman arrived in the commercial capital Blantyre to start his new job as Mighty Mukuru Wanderers Technical Director (TD).
“Welcome Harrison! Welcome Harrison!” the fans, clad in the club’s traditional blue and white colours, chanted.
The supporters then lined up to hug the former Gor Mahia coach who has signed a two-year contract with Wanderers.
Speaking briefly to reporters, Harrison asked for patience and more time for him to turnaround the sleeping giant of Malawi football.
BLANK CHEQUE
Wanderers’ legal advisor Chancy Gondwe told The Daily Times newspaper that they will give the 60-year-old a free hand to choose his technical team.
“He will have a blank cheque to recruit players or backroom staff of his choice. This includes beyond our borders should he feel like doing so. What matters is value addition to the team,” Gondwe said.
The former Golden Arrows coach will work with coach Alex Ngwira and assistant coach Albert Mpinganjira.
Wanderers coaching panel was recently reshuffled with assistant coach Joseph Kamwendo redeployed to Wanderers reserve team in a similar role.
The former Township Rollers trainer is the second Briton to coach Wanderers after Eddie May (now deceased) who also managed the Nomads in the year 2003.
FEEL OF MALAWI LEAGUE
Harrison will get a feel of football in Malawi on Saturday when Wanderers host Kamuzu Barracks at Champion Stadium in Dowa in the Central Region.
Wanderers are on fourth-place with 40 points, 16 points behind runaway leaders and rivals Nyasa Big Bullets.
Kamuzu Barracks lie second with 47 points, nine points behind the defending champions Bullets.
He is coming to probably Malawi’s second biggest team in terms of fan base.
The former Arrows coach has replaced Eddingtone Ng’onamo as the TD for the seven-time Super League champions.
The coach will be working as an advisor to the senior team and also oversee youth and reserve team operations.
WELL-TRAVELLED
Harrison is a journeyman, having travelled the length and breadth of Africa coaching clubs such as Caps United in Zimbabwe and Township Rollers in Botswana.
The former Mpumalanga Black Aces trainer won the Botswana Premier League title with Rollers in 2016.
The coach then crossed the borders to Zimbabwe, where led Harare City FC to Chibuku Super Cup glory the following year.
The Derby-born Harrison has also coached teams in Tanzania.
Harrison is well known in South Africa following the time he spent at Black Aces from 2010 to 2011 then African Warriors the following season.
He spent a season at Chippa and then Arrows during the year 2013.
He last worked for Gor Mahia in Kenya.