James Kasambala: Many players lack proper guidance on contractual matters

“I love football more than anything, I would say,” declares James Da Kas Kasambala, founder of JJ Sports Agency. It’s a passion forged in childhood and tested across continents, now reshaping how Malawian footballers navigate their careers.

Kasambala’s football roots run deep in Lilongwe’s Area 36, where he turned out for Green Rangers Football Club in the lower leagues. Green Rangers, competing in the Central Region Football Association’s Chipiku League, became his football home and shaped his understanding of the game’s grassroots realities.

“When I was playing for Green Rangers, we had no sponsorship,” he recalled. That memory stayed with him even after he worked with World Vision and later joined the British Army in the UK.

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But distance didn’t diminish his connection to Malawian football. While serving abroad, Kasambala followed the local scene closely and hatched a plan to give back. In 2022, he returned with his checkbook open.

“While in the UK, I decided to become the main sponsor for the team. I sponsored them in the 2022/23 and 2023/24 seasons,” he said.

Sponsoring Green Rangers revealed a deeper calling. Kasambala already had two or three players in the Super League, and he noticed a glaring gap in the market.

“I later parted ways with Rangers and focused on managing players because I know myself and I believe I am better at managing rather than just being a sponsor,” he explained.

What sets Kasambala apart isn’t just his investment, it’s his approach.

“In Malawi, many players lack proper guidance on contractual matters,” he said. “The way I manage my players is very different from any Malawian manager I know or have heard of. I have built a strong rapport with my players. We are very close, not just as manager and player but also as friends. I give them valuable advice.”

It’s a relationship-first philosophy that prioritizes long-term career development over quick deals.

JJ Sports Agency now manages a growing roster including Blessings Mwalilino and Isaac Kaliati of Mighty Wanderers, Frank Phiri of CRECK Sporting Club, and Marko Chiwaya of Dedza Dynamos, among others.

Kasambala’s selection process is deliberate. “In football, time is limited, so I pay close attention to the age of players. To be a successful manager, you must identify well and know exactly what you are looking for. I focus on players with promising careers, both in terms of talent and age.”

The strategy is already paying off. Kaliati’s contract with Wanderers expires on December 31, and offers have come from both local clubs and abroad, including Zimbabwe. Mwalilino, meanwhile, is secured with Wanderers until 2028, while Phiri remains contracted to CRECK through the same period.

For Chiwaya, the arrival of Goshen City as sponsors at Dedza Dynamos has opened new possibilities. “We can either keep him there or explore other destinations,” Kasambala said.

The agency is also navigating contract clarifications for some players, including Yankho Billiat at Civil Service United. “There are some areas I believe I was not well informed about by the club, so we have written them a letter seeking clarification,” he noted.

Kasambala’s ambition extends beyond his current roster. He envisions growing JJ Sports Agency to manage 20 players, carefully selecting talent that meets his criteria for age, skill, and career potential.

As Malawian football continues to professionalize, Kasambala represents a new breed of agent: local, invested, and determined to protect players in an industry where guidance has historically been scarce.

From the pitches of Area 36 to the British Army and back home again, his journey has come full circle. But for Kasambala, this is just the beginning.