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Ex-Chiefs captain named Malawi assistant coach

Former Kaizer Chiefs captain Patrick Mabedi has been named the assistant coach for the Malawi senior national football team, the Flames. The Flames’ Romanian coach Mario Marinica announced the appointment of Mabedi on Tuesday ahead of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) group stage qualifiers.

Marinica replaced Meck Mwase who was demoted soon after he secured the Flames a place at the delayed 2021 Afcon finals in Cameroon. The former Black Leopards mentor Marinica has hired Mabedi alongside Civil Service coach Franco Ndawa to replace Bob Mpinganjira and Lovemore Fazili who were Mwase’s right-hand men.

Mabedi played for Chiefs from 1999 to 2005 when he moved to Moroka Swallows a team he eventually managed as an assistant coach before serving as Muhsin Ertugal’s deputy at Mpumalanga Black Aces.

Spells at Cape Town All-Stars as head coach then Chiefs interim coach followed. The former Flames defender also served as an assistant coach for the Flames in 2013 and at Leopards in a similar role a few years ago. He is also doubling as Malawi’s Under 20 coach.

Marinica has since named a 30-member squad of home-based players to start camp training this weekend ahead of the Afcon qualifiers. The Flames are in Group D with Ethiopia, Egypt and Guinea in the qualifiers, which start at the end of this month.

By Peter Kanjere

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