Football Association of Malawi (FAM) Youth Development Officer and former Malawi National Football Team, the Flames captain James Sangala is in Zurich, Switzerland for a FIFA educational programme, The Next 90 which targets former players.
Sangala is among the 35 former players drawn across the world taking part in the first edition of the course meant to empower former players in their second careers.
The one-year programme began in January with virtual lessons and the retired footballers are now meeting in Zurich for physical lessons.
The programme aims to provide former female and male footballers with the skills, tools and confidence they need to succeed in the next stages of their lives after they have hung up their boots and is organised by the FIFA Legends and their partner, the International Centre for Sports Studies (CIES).
Sangala said : “The program will equip me with the necessary knowledge and experience for me to make it in any of my life after football endeavours. In this case, mostly it will help me in my employment with FAM more especially how I can conduct the daily business in order to help enhance FAM’s productivity.”
According to FIFA, the programme with seven modules is taking a practical approach to learning; this inaugural edition of The Next 90 comprises seven modules and runs for ten months.
It will come to an end with an in-person session in December 2022, where the participants will show what they have learned during the programme and will present a final project to mark the start of their second careers.
The Next 90 programme is aimed at former players with at least one international cap to their name and a good command of English, both written and spoken.
