FCB Nyasa Big Bullets head coach Kalisto Pasuwa addressed the media as we prepare to face Bangwe All Stars in our first knockout match of the 2024 season.
Pasuwa’s men will take on Ma Stars in the FDH Bank Cup Round of 32 at Kamuzu Stadium on Sunday.
The tactician gave an insight into what is being done to fix our goal-scoring challenges, his expectations from the opponents, and the importance of club president Konrad Buckle’s meeting with the players.
Below is the full transcript of Pasuwa’s interview.
On what is being done to improve our goal-scoring challenges
We have been creating chances and we are failing to put them beyond the net and that has been our homework. As you saw [in training], we have been working in front of the goal the whole week to give the boys the confidence that we can score. In every area, we are playing well but it is the end product of it, taking the ball into the net where maybe we are still shy to have goals. Bangwe is one of the games that we are supposed to fulfil and we hope we go there with improvements in our camp.
On what he is expecting from Sunday’s opponents
As I always say, we prepare each team as it comes. We don’t differentiate to say it’s Bangwe, to say maybe it’s one of the big guys. Each team we play against comes full throttle on us and we need to be very positive in whatever we are doing. As I said, we need to do our homework of putting the ball beyond the net, hence I have talked about working in front of the goal the whole week.
On the importance of Buckle visiting the players on Tuesday
It’s good in terms of everyone in the house. A father coming to see you, motivating you, yes, he is supporting us, so, we just need to be positive in whatever we do for us to say thank you to him. It was a very timely visit.
On the players’ response after the meeting
Yes, from the way that I have seen them when we are starting our training sessions, very positive in their approach and maybe it was the mental aspect that one would say affected them but you can see that everyone has a positive mind.
On injuries
The guys who were out [as of our last trip to Lilongwe] are still out and we will use those who were around [during our game against Kamuzu Barracks last Saturday].