New TD promises more continental tournament appearances

The new Football Association of Malawi (FAM) Technical Director, Yvon Avry, has pledged to help the country’s national teams—including the men’s, women’s, and beach soccer teams—qualify for more continental tournaments through his expertise.

This was disclosed by FAM President Fleetwood Haiya when the Association unveiled Avry at Mpira Village in Chiwembe on Friday.

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Haiya believes that Avry’s arrival will add significant value to the country’s football and beach soccer development, as he is certified and approved by both FIFA and CAF.

“I believe that our grassroots football, boys’ football, and beach soccer are not going to be the same. If I provide what is necessary to him, he has promised that we are going to have national teams consistently qualifying for continental tournaments in every edition,” Haiya said.

He added that Avry also emphasized making football an economic development pathway for the country, as talent development will boost quality that can be exported from Malawi to other countries.

However, Haiya said he expects Avry to develop a plan that aligns with FAM’s program and budget, as he has arrived at a time when the Executive Committee has already approved the Association’s way forward and budget.

Meanwhile, Avry said his main focus will be on grassroots development, comparing football to learning by starting with the basics before progressing to more complex and advanced levels.

“I will bring my experience of football in Africa and technical expertise, especially in building a strong foundation for the future. I am sure that if we run good programs from the grassroots for both boys and girls, we are going to achieve a lot,” said Avry.

The Frenchman said that having contributed to France’s World Cup qualifications, he believes that one day he will contribute to Malawi qualifying for the tournament.

Avry brings vast experience, having worked in 29 countries over 20 years, mostly in Africa, focusing on technical development of the sport. He also served with FIFA for eight years.