Midfielder Chimwemwe Idana has been nominated for the 2020/21 TNM Super League Player of the Season.
The Nyasa Big Bullets vice-captain has been shortlisted for the award Blessings Tembo of Silver Strikers, Vitumbiko Kumwenda of Mighty Wanderers and Moyale Barracks’ Lloyd Njaliwa.
On Sunday, the Super League of Malawi (Sulom) announced that Idana and the other three nominees were shortlisted through voting by Super League coaches, captains and journalists, and have now been presented to the public for voting.
According to Sulom, the voting process, which has commenced today, will run for eleven days to allow supporters pick the best player in the just ended elite league won by Bullets.
“Sulom is pleased to announce that voting for the Player of the Season by public and supporters will start on 31st October 2021 to 10th November 2021,” read a communication from the country’s league governing body.
“You may recall that members of the media, team captains and head coaches voted and has identified the top four players of the season “Mr Demio.”
Supporters have the final power to select the ultimate winner for the accolade through voting via SMS through the 3039 code.
The 2020/21 TNM Super League Player of the Season will go home with a Mazda Demio.
How Idana has been instrumental for Bullets the past 2 seasons
In 2019 season, with less than 17 minutes to play and with the title defence on the line, Idana scored in what was the important goal of his career to inspire The People’s Team to a hard-fought 0-1 victory over Silver Strikers away in Lilongwe.
The goal was enough to take Bullets closer to the title defence and indeed, Kalisto Pasuwa’s men defended the league with just one point.
Ever since he got promoted by Pasuwa from the reserve team in 2018, the 23-year-old central midfielder has been very instrumental for the 15-time Super League champions, scoring vital goals and providing assists.
In the just-ended season, he has only missed one game as he was rested by Pasuwa in the 1-0 defeat away to Moyale Barracks in August, bagging three goals and five Man of the Match accolades throughout.
But what has been his key secret? Bullets media had an exclusive chat with the potential 2020/21 TNM Super League Player of the Season.
“I am a hard worker and that’s my key secret. My head coach [Pasuwa] has also been very instrumental in as far as my career at Bullets is concerned. Listening the advices of the coaches is also very key towards a lengthy and successful career in football,” explained Idana.
Idana was named Bullets vice-captain at the beginning of the 2020/21 season, an appointment which he describes as one of the best moments in his career. He has worn the armband for almost the whole season following the absence of first captain John Lanjesi, who picked an injury early in the season.
“It was a dream come true for me when I was named the vice-captain of the team. I am always extremely happy for the trust from the technical panel and I don’t take this opportunity for granted. I will always give it all for the team to repay back the faith they have in me,” he said.
But the midfielder was quick to admit that leading a team of Bullets’ caliber throughout the season in the absence of Lanjesi was not an easy task.
“It wasn’t easy at all to lead Bullets in the field of play whenever Lanjesi wasn’t playing. I had rough moments, especially in the first games, but then I got used to the fact that John would be out for the rest of the season hence I had to step up and lead the way. Every player was very supportive and it was easy for me to ease the burden,” shared the Malawi international.
Idana reckons his best moments in Bullets’ colors, saying his strike against Silver Strikers will forever remain in his heart.
“I scored that important goal and helped the team to move closer towards the title defence and considering the circumstances that led to our victory, I always remember that day. It wasn’t easy to play in the muddy picth and come out of Silver Stadium with all three points,” he reminisces.
Idana, who is likely to be part of Meck Mwase’s Malawi final squad for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon next year, says representing his nation makes him proud and adds that he will use the opportunity once given to him to expose himself to foreign clubs in order to take his career further.
“Being part of the players to represent the country at an international competitions is something special to me. I thank coach Mwase for the trust in me and I will give it all for the team in order to take my game to another level,” shared Idana, who has always adored Bullets since his young age.
