Pasuwa promotes two from Bullets Reserves

Head coach Kalisto Pasuwa has promoted two youngsters from Nyasa Big Bullets Reserve to the first team.

As he continues trusting young talent, the Zimbabwean has drafted into the Bullets senior squad striker Stanley Biliat, 18, and left-back Gift
Jana, 22.

Pasuwa believes the duo has what it takes to perform at the main team, hence his decision to rope them in. The lads joined Bullets’ pre-season training in Mangochi on Wednesday.

“As Bullets we have a reserve side and any player who impresses in that team will be rewarded with a promotion into the senior team.

“By calling them [Biliat and Jana] to train with the main team gives us an option to see them play for the team, hence the reason to include them for the pre-season training so that we may encourage others to perform better and follow suit,” explained Pasuwa in an interview with Bullets media.

On the prospects of seeing the players surviving in the main team, the coach said:

“They are doing well and I remember last year, I used Biliat in some of the games we played at Kamuzu Stadium [including the Blantyre derby against Be Forward Wanderers in an Independence Day match on July 6] where he faired very well.

“I am very optimistic that they will do well and I think it’s the right time to introduce them into the senior team,” Pasuwa spoke well of the lads.

Gift Jana has also previously featured for the first team in non-competitive games both at home and away in the 2018/19 season.

In his first year in charge, Pasuwa promoted several Reserve players who played a very big role in Bullets’ title defence in what was one of the most difficult seasons ever as he won the league with just one point.

The TNM Super League defending champions have a rich history of promoting young talent, with all the 2018/19 season graduates now playing for the senior Malawi national team, including Hassan Kajoke, Chimwemwe Idana, Nickson Nyasulu and Charles Petro, who is now with FC Sherriff of Moldova.

The People’s Team is currently in Mangochi for pre-season preparations ahead of the new season, which was delayed to November due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Bullets will play in the Ecobank Charity Shield slated for November 21-22, before the TNM Super League kick off a week later.