Head coach Wedson Nyirenda discusses his return, preparations during the league break, the response to the Dedza defeat, Chitipa United’s form, Kondwani Tebulo’s recall, squad fitness, player recruitment and the tight title race.
Ahead of Sunday’s FDH Bank Premiership encounter against Chitipa United at Mpira Stadium, FCB Nyasa Big Bullets head coach Wedson Nyirenda returned to face the media at his customary Thursday pre-match press conference in Blantyre.
Nyirenda began by congratulating the Malawi Women’s National Football Team on reaching the quarter-finals of the TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco before thanking the club and its supporters for the support he received following the passing of his mother in Zambia.
The Bullets coach then reflected on the defeat to Goshen City Dedza Dynamos, discussed the work undertaken during the two-week break and assessed the challenge posed by an in-form Chitipa side. He also spoke about Tebulo’s return to the first-team squad, potential player movement, additions to his technical panel and Sunday’s squad availability.
Below is the full pre-match press conference.
First of all, welcome back, Coach, and our condolences on the loss of your mother. How have you found the group since returning, and how have preparations gone ahead of Sunday’s match?
Thank you very much. First and foremost, I would like to congratulate Malawi for qualifying for the quarter-finals of the WAFCON. That is a great milestone our women’s team has achieved. Now that I am here, I will be supporting them all the way to the final. I pray that they will progress to the next round.
Coming back to the question, I also want to thank the club, our supporters, the Board of Directors and all the staff for the support they gave me when we lost our beloved mother in Zambia.
When I returned, I found that the result was not what we were looking for. We lost 1-0 to Dedza Dynamos, and it was a setback for us, but I think we have made a lot of corrections.
Coach Heston [Munthali], whom I left in charge, and Zicco [Mkanda] kept me briefed on everything that was happening in training. We communicated almost every day to find out how the team was doing, and the reports were very clear.
After we lost the game, I knew exactly where we had gone wrong. The coaches did their part, and we have made a lot of corrections. This week, we have looked very sharp, and the team is looking very good. We have just come from the field, and I was very satisfied with what I saw.
What, in your view, were the key factors behind the team’s struggles while the two coaches were overseeing the side in your absence?
As the coaches said, we did not apply ourselves as we should have. We gave Dedza too much room to do what they wanted.
The goal came from a mistake by one of our defenders, who waited for the ball instead of attacking it. Their striker came, jumped over him and scored. It was a mistake, and I think we have worked on that.
The league paused last weekend for the Airtel Top 8 semifinals. How useful has that break been in preparing the team for Chitipa United?
It gave us more time to rectify our mistakes. The two weeks we have had before the next game have also allowed us to assess every player and hold one-on-one sessions with some of those we believe need man-management. The break has given us more time to do that kind of work.
With two players already having left the club by mutual agreement, should we expect further departures before the transfer window opens at the end of the first round?
Like I said last time, it is like pistons: one goes up and another comes down. As much as we are bringing in players, once we are sure about those coming into our rebuilding process, we will also be offloading some.
How many players could leave?
I cannot give a number. Sometimes, the number going out could be higher than the number coming in, or we could bring in more players than those leaving.
There is a midfielder from Liberia and a striker from Zimbabwe training with the team. Are they being assessed?
Yes, they are being assessed.
How have they performed in training?
We cannot say much about them yet, but we are still assessing them.
What about the centre-back who captained the Malawi university team at the CUCSA Games in Botswana?
Hadji [Minjale] has really impressed me. He is a very good player. At his age, he is doing everything we need. He is a calm and composed defender, not a rough player, and he is very intelligent. I have already sanctioned his signing.
You initially planned to bring in your own technical staff but later retained the current panel. With Zambia now out of WAFCON and reports linking some Zambian coaches with your set-up, are you still considering changes to your technical team?
That now remains with the administration because everything has been done. We were waiting for them to finish their assignments. Now that they are out, I think they will be contacted so they can come as soon as possible to assume their duties.
Our last league outing ended in the first defeat of the campaign against Goshen City Dedza Dynamos. What response have you demanded from the players?
Looking at what they have shown throughout last week and this week, I think the boys have it in their minds that they really want to make amends. Every player wants to show that he is ready to change things. I am seeing a very hungry and angry team determined to rectify the mistake we made in Dedza.
Chitipa United arrive unbeaten in their last three matches after collecting seven points from the last nine available. What is your assessment, and what are you expecting from them on Sunday?
As usual, every team treats its match against us like a final. We would be making a mistake if we looked at the name Chitipa and considered them a small team. These are the teams that prepare twice as hard when they play us because they know they are facing a big team.
Now that I am also here, people know this coach and what he can do, so everyone is preparing adequately for this team. The biggest mistake we could make would be to relax on the pitch and think the game will play itself. It is our approach that will earn us the three points in every match we play.
You have brought Reserves captain Kondwani Tebulo into the first-team squad. What prompted that decision, and what qualities does he add to the group?
He is a Marcelo. I was asking myself why he had remained in the B team until now. We call ourselves a big team, and we have a B team that is developmental. When you have a talent who has shown he can perform, there is no need for him to create traffic there because we need to create space for others coming through behind him.
We have been blocking that boy from becoming what he is supposed to become. For me, he is ready to start playing for the senior team. From what I saw when he played for the B team in Chilomoni [against Immigration FC] and at Mpira Stadium [against Nchima United], he is a very good and intelligent player.
He does not lose the ball easily, knows how to move inside from a wide position, combines well and can attack before finding himself beyond the defensive line. The game I watched last week [against Zingwangwa United] confirmed everything I already knew about him. He scored a very difficult goal.
My biggest concern, as I have said, is that we should not create traffic because we are in the business of developing new talent and selling players. My job is not only to coach and win games. I am also here to make money for the club because selling players brings in revenue.
I am not just a coach who will work for three points and then get paid. I also have to make money for the club. How do I do that? We promote the players who are doing well, and when they move up, we create space to bring others through so the wheels keep turning.
From your explanation, should we expect to see Tebulo in action sooner rather than later?
Very soon, but every player needs to work for his position. You cannot simply enter the books of Bullets, relax and expect to play. You have to work, show that you are capable and prove that you are ready.
The boy has shown that he is a good player. All we need now is to give him confidence and show him that we believe in him.
What is the latest squad update, particularly regarding Andrew Jovinala and the players who were unavailable before the Dedza fixture?
We thank God that this week we had almost a full squad. Paul Master is still out, while George Chaomba is also unavailable, but they are both close to returning and could be back next week.
We have also welcomed back Blessings Mpokera and Prince Chiumia from injury. Jovinala returned on Tuesday after sustaining a cut, but he is out for this week.
What is the latest on Chrispin Mapemba?
He is still out, but hopefully next week he could begin light training.
Only two points separate Bullets from the three teams above us. Does the tightness of the table add greater importance to securing a response on Sunday?
Yes, it does. As I said before I left, we should take every game as it comes. We took the last match one game at a time, but we did not approach it the way we should have, and we lost. Fortunately, most of our rivals also dropped points.
We are two points behind, which is not a big gap. This game can help us rectify that mistake, and perhaps we can return to the top, although that will also depend on how our rivals perform.
As I always say, the league is a marathon. We have to focus on our team, collect our points and forget about the others. If you keep collecting points and remain consistent, you will be fine. As long as you are not dropping points, you do not have to worry about the other teams.
