Gilbert Chirwa sat down with the club’s media team to discuss our upcoming trip to Mulanje, where we’ll be competing in the Sapitwa 4 Season Three tournament at Mulanje Park this weekend, set to take place on Saturday and Sunday.
The FCB Nyasa Big Bullets assistant coach highlighted the significance of participating in the tournament, reflected on lessons learned from last Sunday’s pre-season friendly defeat to Kamuzu Barracks, discussed the impact of missing eight players currently on national team duty, and touched on several other issues.
Read the full transcript of Chirwa’s interview below.
On the importance of the tournament
It is a very important platform for coaches, especially in a period when we are preparing for a new season. As coaches, we have a task to see different combinations of the team; upfront, midfield, goalkeeping and in defence, so I believe it will give us a very good platform where we will have the opportunity to assess where we are as we are still gearing up for the new campaign.
On lessons learnt from KB’s loss
From my experience, as Bullets, it’s more of a tradition that each time we are preparing for a new season we expect the best. I know for sure we lost against Kamuzu Barracks, but that does not mean we should look down to conclude that the team will not do well in the upcoming season. We know for sure that we are trying our best to polish up here and there, and for sure, our supporters and beautiful sponsors should just look forward to a wonderful season because the boys are working hard. I know the game that we played against KB, we made mistakes earlier in the match by conceding too quick goals and after talking to the players at half time, we dominated the second half. I believe Sapitwa is offering us a good platform where we are going to see different combinations and when are done with this tournament, we will have a good side.
On the players’ body language preparing for the bonanza after defeat
We have eight players with the national team and the squad that will go to Sapitwa, three players will join us. [The bonanza is] a platform where we will meet fellow Super League teams, and I believe we will try different combinations to see how they will fare. I am quite certain that the boys are ready for the task.
On the impact of missing several players due to the national team engagements…
Sometimes it does [have a negative impact], but sometimes, it doesn’t and we are hoping for the best. I think come Saturday, we will be ready for the challenge.
On the positive part of not having regular players for this match
We definitely need depth and competition in the team, and those that we [don’t] always talk about will need to fight for their positions in the team. To the players who are here with us, I am very sure that they will pull up their socks to come up with a brilliant performance.
On the team’s approach to the competition
All I can is that we are going there with one mind; every team that is going there is going there to win. As such, we are also going there to win. We are a big team, and we can’t go there to doubt ourselves. We are telling the boys to believe in themselves, have confidence, and play to win.
