When Karen Chaula picked up a coaching job for the then Super League side Ntopwa Football Club, little did she know that she would be trekking in a thorny path filled with dangerous wolves that would be barking to push her out of the male-dominated field, Malawi News Sport can reveal.

Chaula, who then was holding a Caf C coaching badge, made headlines when she became the first female coach to take charge of a males’ side in Malawi’s top flight league in 2022.

However, along the way, Chaula spent sleepless nights due to the intimidating atmosphere and ceaseless insults.

Just when she thought she had found her dream job, following an unlikely breakthrough into the male-dominated field, she saw the future crumbling right in front of her eyes.

“I had always fancied coaching a men’s team in the top flight league. When I was appointed Ntopwa coach, it came as a surprise and too soon but I accepted the offer because, for me, it was a dream come true,” Chaula recalls.

Chaula thought she had garnered enough experience to handle a senior men’s team following her previous engagements with junior male sides; Ntopwa Under-20 from 2019 to 2020 and Angaliba Under-17 from 2017 to 2018.

“I accepted the offer because I wanted to prove that whatever men can do a woman also can.

“Besides, I had been involved with junior football sides for males. I thought experience was enough preparatory ground for the Super League. So out of 16 Super League coaches, I was the only lady,” she said.

However, Chaula soon found that it was not an easy ride to coach in the Super League as supporters continuously taunted and bullied her.

“Life in the Super League was not as easy as I thought. Some quarters, especially supporters, were bullies. I remember that during my first assignment, we travelled to Karonga and at almost every roadblock people and police officers were curious to see me following my appointment as the first female coach in the Super League.

“But at the venue it was a different case, with supporters standing behind our technical area. The insults were just too much and, from their words, I could feel as if I was being undressed,” she said.

While acknowledging that most coaches and Super League players were supportive, Chaula recalls a peculiar situation when a male coach [name withheld] allegedly bullied her on the touchline during Ntopwa’s assignment in Mzuzu.

“I would be lying if I say that every coach and opposing players were after me. In most cases, the coaches and players were friendly.

“But very few players and officials were sarcastic while I was on duty. However, the most demeaning and shameful incident happened at Mzuzu Stadium when the coach [name withheld] insulted me without mercy. My only concern was on officiation. I asked the referee to be fair but the coach vented