Head coach says creating opportunities gives his technical team the foundation to improve the team’s finishing.
FCB Nyasa Big Bullets head coach Wedson Nyirenda remains encouraged by his side’s ability to create goalscoring opportunities, insisting the team’s finishing will improve with continued work on the training ground.
The People’s Team have scored 10 goals and conceded six in their opening eight FDH Bank Premiership matches, but Nyirenda believes the bigger concern would be if his players stopped creating goalscoring opportunities altogether. For the Bullets head coach, missed chances provide valuable learning moments that can be corrected through coaching.
He shared that outlook during Thursday’s pre-match press conference ahead of Saturday’s FDH Bank Premiership fixture against Creck Sporting Club at Mpira Stadium.
“Goal scoring is an art. So, you can see that we are just making some mistakes. It’s either decision-making when we are finishing or technical indiscipline; instead of using the right leg, you are using the left leg.”
“Sometimes it’s a matter of timing and space. Instead of going into spaces at the right time, you are late, and sometimes we are not attacking the ball or robbing the defenders because I believe a striker is a thief.”
“You have to steal the ball from the defenders and the goalkeepers, and if you are lenient, you are not going to score.”
Nyirenda said the focus is not on criticising players for missed opportunities but on helping them make better decisions in front of goal, with the technical team continuing to work on the finer details of finishing in training.
“All we need is to be ruthless in front of goal. That’s all we need. I think very soon things will change.”
“We are talking to these players. A mind of a human being is like software; whatever you feed it, it is what it’s going to record, and that is what they will be using.”
“So we are working on it, and even this morning, we were working on the same.”
The Bullets head coach also stressed that he does not want his forwards to become fearful of making mistakes, believing confidence is essential for goalscorers to thrive.
“The biggest mistake that could ever be made is to put those players under pressure because if we do, they are humans.”
“They will start hiding, shying away from getting chances and that would be the biggest disaster.”
Instead, Nyirenda wants his players to continue getting into goalscoring positions, convinced that consistent chance creation provides the best platform for improvement.
“I have told my players to go and miss ten chances, and I will still clap hands for them because when he misses, that is when you will see the wrong that he is doing.”
“But if he is not going there to look for chances, then what are you going to coach him?”
“We have players who are willing to take the risk, and the only small thing missing is how they are placing themselves to finish that ball. Then it makes the job easier because you know where to place your lessons.”
For Nyirenda, the continued creation of goalscoring opportunities is a sign that Bullets are moving in the right direction, with the head coach confident that the goals will come as his players continue to develop and grow in confidence.
