FCB Nyasa Big Bullets head coach, Peter Mponda, held his first pre-season press conference ahead of Sunday’s friendly match against Kamuzu Barracks at Champions Stadium in Mponela.
During the briefing, Mponda shared updates on the team’s pre-season progress, how his latest signings are adapting and the first team’s captaincy. He also discussed injuries as well as the reserves players who are training with the senior squad.
Here’s everything the head coach had to say.
On the pre-season preparations
So far, I would say preparations are going very well, though the national team [engagements have] disturbed us. We took about two weeks, and other players were with the national team while the rest of the players were training here. It’s very difficult to train like this because pre-season is a very important time of the season. If we miss pre-season, we miss a lot of things. We have also been hit by injuries, but I hope they will come back [soon]. Apart from that, everything is going very well, and the players have been pushing in terms of fitness. We are going into the seventh week of pre-season, which is a good thing, but like I said about the national team taking away our two weeks, it means we didn’t have a full seven weeks, but five weeks of training with the whole squad. About the new signings, yes, I would say we are almost there as we are still looking for some areas, we need to beef up, but so far, so good.
On his assessment of the new signings
I was very happy with the way they played in the [training] games. For them, it’s a new environment, a new style of play, and they have quickly adapted, although they still need some improvements, booking at the time we have spent with them and what they are giving us, I am pleased with the way they are gelling with the team.
On facing Kamuzu Barracks in the first pre-season match
Unfortunately, we are going into the seventh week of our pre-season training without playing any meaningful friendly matches. We played with small teams, but now we are facing opposition to our level. It’s a big game, a very important game to see where we are. Like I said we played against small teams, and we might be fooling ourselves to think we are good, but KB will give us a clear picture of how far we have been. Like I said, 90 per cent of us feel good, we are on the right track, but this game will give us the right picture. KB is a full package in terms of their style of play. They play a very physical game, tactically, they are well coached and they will give us a very good feeling of where we are, what we have been doing, whether we are okay or we need to push more. I feel like this game is a very good test for us.
On the positive side of contributing more players to the national team
It’s very good for our club to be contributing a lot of players to the national team, but also to the players, it gives them a self-belief that they are good, hence their selection and also playing international matches that will help them to gain experience which in return, it will also help the club. So, we are saying that negatively, we have been affected in terms of our preparations, but positively, it’s a plus that these players are playing for the national team.
On the team’s captaincy following the departure of Gomegzani Chirwa and Nickson Nyasulu
Unfortunately, we lost Gomezgani Chirwa and Nickson Nyasulu, and we are only remaining with Clyde Senaji, who didn’t even play more matches last season but he was also one of the captains. I know that people are eager to know who is going to be our next captain, but like I said earlier on, I was away [with the national team], I missed two weeks which is also a negative thing in terms of the choice of team captain because before I appoint a captain, I need to see the qualities he has, if he has leadership qualities in the team. I am urging our supporters to be patient because the captain will be named very soon.
On the team’s left-back situation
Firstly, let me comment on our defence. We lost [most of] the defenders who played last season to other clubs. At least we have filled the gaps in other positions, whereas we still have a gap on the left side. We have Chrispin Mapemba, who is injured, and we don’t even know when he will return to the field of play. This is giving us a headache, but that’s why we are here. We are paid to find solutions, and we will find a replacement. We also hope to see Mapemba back to his full fitness so that he plays a role in the 2025 season because he is a good player who did well last season before his season was cut short due to an injury. In Mapemba’s absence, we are trying to find the gap to give him competition when he comes back.
On Edward Thengo and Austin Chirambo joining the first team from the reserves
Edward Thengo is a top player. When I saw him, I was surprised by the way he was playing. He was very composed on the ball, and his aerial presence and physical side of the game were very top-notch. Of course, he has some areas to improve, but he is a very good player, and let’s give him six weeks, he will be competing for a place in the team. On Austin Chirambo, he is with us, and the way he is playing, it’s like he has been [with the first team] for a while. He does not look like he is coming from our reserves team because he is giving competition to the senior goalkeepers. He has got everything we need in a goalkeeper – the height, even the ball distribution; he is very comfortable with the way we want to play. So, we will not hesitate to throw him in the deep end, and I know that he is going to survive.
