Head coach Wedson Nyirenda discusses Bullets’ progress since the first leg, Saturday’s Airtel Top 8 quarterfinal decider, Ekhaya’s unbeaten run, squad fitness, player competition and the challenge of defending the trophy.
Ahead of Saturday’s Airtel Top 8 quarterfinal second leg against Ekhaya at Mpira Stadium, FCB Nyasa Big Bullets head coach Wedson Nyirenda addressed the media during his pre-match press conference in Blantyre on Thursday afternoon.
Nyirenda reflected on the lessons learned from the first leg, assessed the team’s recent improvement following three consecutive league victories and discussed the challenge awaiting The People’s Team against an Ekhaya side enjoying an impressive unbeaten run.
The Bullets coach also provided the latest squad update, spoke about the growing competition for places within his squad, explained his approach to knockout football and outlined what he expects from his players as they bid to secure a place in the Airtel Top 8 semifinals.
Below is the full pre-match press conference.
Looking back at the first leg, what are your reflections on the performance and what are the biggest lessons your team has taken into Saturday’s decider?
I think the first leg was just another game. That was my first week at the club and I had only been here for three days. I watched the team train, observed a lot of things and then we went into the match.
We played a very good game in Lilongwe, but there were also many negatives that we identified afterwards. Since that match, we have made a lot of progress in addressing those areas, and I think you can now see a change in the way the team is playing.
Since that match, the team has won three consecutive league games. How pleased have you been with the progress and confidence you have seen in the squad?
I think the team has been improving every day. From game to game, we are seeing a big change. There is a lot of progress in the way we are moving, the project is good and I think the boys are doing fine. We cannot complain.
This is a knockout match with a place in the semifinals at stake. How different is the approach compared to preparing for a league fixture?
It has always been different. It will never be the same because a cup game is a cup game. The result is needed there and then. You are not looking for a draw or anything else. If you want to progress, you simply have to win. So, we need to score the goals that are required, defend well and manage the game properly. I think that is all we need.
Ekhaya are unbeaten in seven matches and have shown they are difficult to break down. What kind of challenge are you expecting on Saturday?
As usual, every game against Bullets is a difficult game for the opposition, just as every game is difficult for us. They have gone seven matches without losing, as you have said, and we have also gone several matches unbeaten. The difference is that over the past three games we have improved after those draws we had earlier in the season.
Now we are scoring goals, managing games better and winning matches. It is going to be a very interesting contest because they are playing good football and I also believe we are playing good football.
What approach do you expect from your players to make sure Ekhaya do not cause you more problems than they have caused other teams this season?
I always believe in preparing the team according to how we want to play rather than concentrating too much on the opponent. We want to dictate the game so that the other team reacts to what we are doing. Our objective is to dominate as much as possible, win the ball, manage possession and control the spaces. Those are the key areas we have been focusing on ahead of this match.
Coach, after three games in charge, are you concerned that your team’s fitness and endurance levels may not be enough to match the energy and intensity of this youthful Ekhaya side over 90 minutes?
We have been trying to address that challenge. When I arrived, I was informed that last season finished very late, so the players did not have much time to rest before preparations for this campaign began. That affected the periodisation of our training programme. Improving endurance while competing every week is not easy because you cannot overload players physically during the season.
We have therefore been working on it systematically. We are combining tactical work, technical development and endurance training in a way that allows the players to improve without feeling overworked. The important thing is that they continue gaining fitness while also developing in every other area of the game.
Considering Bullets are the defending Airtel Top 8 champions and the competition’s most successful club, do you feel any pressure to maintain that record?
No pressure. No pressure at all. I have been through a lot of finals in my career. I have won more finals than I have lost. I am a man of gold. I like gold. Hopefully this can be another one for us.
Are you the type of coach who prefers to maintain a settled starting XI, or should supporters expect to see more squad rotation as the season progresses?
Rotation is always there, but it comes at the right time. Normally, when a team is winning, you try to maintain some consistency because it helps the players understand each other better on the pitch.
At the same time, every match is a new game. Team selection depends on the tactics we want to use and the opponents we are facing. There will also be periods when the fixtures come thick and fast, and that is when rotation becomes more necessary.
For the first time this season, the team has kept back-to-back clean sheets. How important will it be to maintain that defensive discipline in a knockout match?
We have to take complacency out of our game. I think we have defended well because of the principles we are teaching, especially organisation before action. Our proactive defending has improved a lot.
When our forwards are attacking in the final third, the defenders also have to stay alert. Against Creck Sporting Club we almost got punished. We had the ball high up the pitch, but one long clearance found their striker in a very good position and Innocent Nyasulu had to make an important save.
Those are the moments we continue working on. The players have responded well over the past three games and we are looking much better defensively. Going into Saturday’s match, we know we cannot afford to concede because our focus is on scoring the goals we need to finish the tie.
Looking at the squad, several players have stepped up in recent weeks, particularly in attack. How satisfied have you been with the competition for places since your arrival?
I can now see real competition within the squad. If you come to training, you will see how hard the players are fighting for places. Every player wants to show that he deserves to play.
When I first arrived, I saw a very different team. It worried me because almost every player wanted to turn backwards instead of looking forward. Now you can see everyone trying to play on the front foot. The team is becoming more positive, more aggressive and more attack-minded, and that is exactly what we want.
As defending champions, is there extra motivation within the squad to keep the Airtel Top 8 trophy?
I think the players are already motivated because they know they are defending champions. They understand what comes with winning a trophy, so there is no need to overemphasise that. The biggest motivation for every player should be earning a place in the team for the next game. Nobody has a permanent place.
Are there any injury updates or selection decisions supporters should know ahead of Saturday’s match?
We still have Paul Master on the clinical list and he is not yet back with the team. Chaomba had a knock, but he’s back. On Wednesday he trained very well, yesterday he trained very well, today he trained very well and he’s in full force.
We also still have Chrispin Mapemba, who has been on the clinical list for a long time. Phodo is also out, he’s not going to be part of this team because he’s just attending clinic
After Misheck Billiat’s assist against Creck Sporting Club, you were seen cleaning the youngster’s boots on the touchline. What message were you trying to send?
I wanted to show him that I appreciated what he had done because it was exactly what we had been working on in training.
Before he went onto the pitch, I reminded him about those situations we had practised. He told me he remembered, and when he got his opportunity, he produced exactly what we had worked on.
That deserved recognition. Cleaning his boots was simply my way of showing him that I appreciated his effort and that he had executed the instructions perfectly.
Apart from Yamikani Mologeni and Ephraim Kondowe, have you identified any other players you consider “lions” in the squad?
There are many. One thing about players is that they appreciate it when you recognise what they can become. As a coach, you have to help them discover that quality and encourage them to bring it out consistently.
When I arrived, I gave the players a quiz. I asked them, “What made David Beckham one of the richest footballers in the world?” Most of them answered that it was because of his free-kicks and the way he bent the ball.
I then told them football is much bigger than that, but one outstanding quality made Beckham special. Every player has something unique. My job is to help them discover it, while their job is to bring it out on the pitch.
One exercise I always give my players is to go home and write down the things they believe they are not doing well. The moment a player writes those weaknesses down, he immediately starts thinking about improving them.
By the time he returns to training, he already knows what he needs to work on. That helps players move away from becoming robot players who simply wait for coaches to tell them everything. Instead, they begin taking responsibility for their own development.
How close are Dastan Banda and Ahmad Kung’unde to returning to action?
Both of them are coming back from injuries, so we are taking our time. We do not want to rush them back into the team only for them to suffer another setback. We have to be very careful because if they return after a long lay-off and get injured again, they could lose all the progress they have made.
We are continuing to work with them so that when they are ready to return, they will be at the same level as the rest of the squad. It is not only about physical fitness. We also want them to be mentally ready before they return to competitive football.
