Nyasa Big Bullets president, Konrad Buckle, has made it clear that Suzgo Nyirenda has been hired as the new chief executive officer to pilot the club and Malawian football to the next level.
He was speaking in Blantyre on Tuesday when the club hosted the media and corporate executives to a cocktail party to officially unveil Nyirenda, a former CEO at the Football Association of Malawi (FAM) and deputy CEO at COSAFA.
Buckle said the club believes Nyirenda’s level of expertise is very paramount to turning around operations and performance of The People’s Team to start competing at top level on the continent.
“We have always had a dream with Bullets that we have to be recognized internationally as a force in any country in Africa and Suzgo was brought in because of the experience he has. We needed someone who understands the local game and at the same time someone who has dealt at the top level of African football,” said the club president.
He said further: “It shouldn’t be about winning trophies at home, but we should also build a mindset within our players that they are as good as they actually are and give them the exposure on the international level. That will not only take Nyasa Big Bullets to the next level, but also [the players] as individuals. The moment they start believing that they are good, it will give them value, which will take them to the next level”.
With such ambitions, Buckle, who took over full ownership of The People’s Team under Nyasa Manufacturing Company Limited in 2017, went on to call on FAM to do something about football sponsorship in the country.
“We started this journey four years ago and definitely it hasn’t been easy. Football sponsorship in this country is too small and clubs cannot survive on that revenue. So, something has to be done by FAM and [Super League of Malawi]. They need to understand the value of football by raising the prize money of our competitions. For example in Tanzania, the league sponsors will be sponsoring it for the next ten years for USD90 million and that alone will create football development. If we don’t do something similar, we will not be able to compete with anybody in the region,” he said.
On his part, the new CEO assured the club’s board that his administration will continue to uphold the highest levels of professionalism in all its endeavors and business dealings to transform the Bullets brand and make it a force to be reckoned with across the continent.
“My objective is to turn the club around and be recognized as a brand not only in the country but on the continent as well. All over the world, football has made people prosperous and organizations financially sound. We must build on the brand equity of the club in order to exploit market opportunities that exist,” said Nyirenda.
He further revealed the ambitious plans of having a Nyasa Big Bullets village and stadium that would ensure sustainability to take the club to the next level of commercialization.
“As NBBFC, we are building sustainability to take us to the next level of commercialization by several approach strategies of brand activation, bringing partnerships, building human resource and structures of the club as we wait to have our own stadium and permanent home,” he shared while calling on potential partners to join the winning team, saying Bullets is a brand that will take their businesses to the next level.
“Ride on our brand as a vehicle that will take you to the level that you desire in business. The foothold of our brand across the country speaks volumes of the need for companies and businesses to seize partnership opportunities and foster the process towards the growth.”
Nyirenda also revealed his immediate assignment of embarking on nationwide registration of Bullets supporters to create verified numbers, which will be used to support businesses for partners.
“We will continue to surround ourselves with love and peace and our supporters will continue to remain our greatest asset and the key to our success throughout the coming years,” he added. “I am not a loser and have never been. Joining a winning football club has reinvigorated my passion and zeal to stay the course.”
