This article was originally published on Malawi24 ">Malawi24, Malawi's #1 independent news platform. Mighty Wanderers Head Coach Bob Mpinganjira has been suspended immediately Read the full article and more Malawi news at Scottish football fails Mpinganjira, Wanderers pull the plug ">Malawi24 — Breaking news, politics, business, sport and entertainment from Malawi and Africa, updated 24/7.
Scottish football lessons have done little to shield Bob Mpinganjira, with Mighty Wanderers pulling the plug on the head coach.
Mpinganjira, who spent three weeks attached to Scottish Championship side Partick Thistle FC earlier this year to broaden his tactical understanding, now finds himself suspended
Mpinganjira has been suspended by Mighty Wanderers less than 24 hours after sister club Ekhaya FC condemned the Nomads to a 2-1 defeat at Bingu National Stadium on Sunday.
In a statement, the club announced the “immediate suspension” of its head coach and said it would name an interim coach and announce any changes to the technical panel within 48 hours.
“The club announces the immediate suspension of Head Coach Mr. Bob Mpinganjira.
“In the next 48 hours the Club shall announce the Interim Head Coach and any change of composition of the Technical Panel,” reads the statement signed by board secretary Chancy Gondwe on behalf of the board of directors.
The suspension comes just months after Mpinganjira was sent to Scotland for a three-week study tour at Championship side Partick Thistle FC.
The trip was intended to expose the Wanderers technical team to different coaching methods and broaden their tactical understanding of the game.
Wanderers president Thom Mpinganjira said at the time that the club expected the coach to return with critical insights that would challenge and improve his existing methods.
“We expect them to gain some critical insights that challenge their existing methods and broaden their tactical understanding of the game,” he said.
But on Sunday, it was Ekhaya who produced the decisive tactical response when it mattered most, coming from a goal behind to beat the Nomads and claim their first-ever Airtel Top 8 title.
Blessings Malinda opened the scoring for Ekhaya before Mphatso Kamanga restored parity for Wanderers.
Allen Chihana then struck in the second half to give Ekhaya a historic 2-1 victory and leave the Nomads empty-handed.
The defeat was particularly painful for Wanderers as Ekhaya are their sister club, turning the final into an internal battle for Blantyre football supremacy.
Ekhaya will pocket K40 million and take home the glittering Airtel Top 8 trophy, while Wanderers will receive K14 million as runners-up.
