FCB Nyasa Big Bullets will be on the road to Mulanje on Sunday afternoon to take on FOMO FC in our final away fixture of this TNM Super League campaign.
Before we travel to Mulanje Park, head coach Kalisto Pasuwa spoke to the club media. He commented on meeting a relegation-threatened side, chances of finishing second, conditions of the pitches and Chikumbutso Salima’s form.
The People’s Team head into this match after collecting two points in our back-to-back encounters against Silver Strikers and Civil Service United in Lilongwe to bow out of the championship race.
Below is the full transcript of our interview with Pasuwa.
On facing a team that is fighting relegation…
We have been playing these teams before, and any team that plays against Bullets is a team that is fighting relegation. It’s a team that needs everything. No one wants to see Bullets in front of them. So, I told these boys to be ready for anything, even when playing a social club, or even boozers; they need to be ready; otherwise, you will see someone whom we are saying is a boozer being on top of them that day. He can play more than what you think he can be. For one to be playing for Bullets, you need to be tactically good, behave well, and also be physically [and mentally] fit to surpass all the pressure that comes when playing for this team.
On Bullets’ chances of finishing second on the table…
Football being football, we, as Bullets, whatever result we get at the end of the day, we accept and move on until the end of the season. But, we are doing our level best. You saw how these players played against Civil. We went there for three points but unfortunately, because of the weather, we ended up dropping two points. So, that’s one thing in football, but what we need is to be positive.
On the playing surfaces, especially during the rainy season…
The story now is about the grounds that we are using. Yes, we have agreed to say these are the stadiums that we are having in Malawi, but you see, the more the grounds are like this, the more it becomes a problem for us as coaches just because at the end of the day, it’s no longer football that you train them [players]. They will be playing, I don’t know how I can explain it, but to see a pitch full of water like it was that day against Civil is a risk to a player. What are we saying to a player who is playing? Do we consider his health? Can he be okay after playing in such a condition? Can he last ten years in football playing in these facilities? I don’t think so. So we need to think about them because they are the reason why we are coaches.
On the lessons learnt from our recent Lilongwe outings…
As you saw, we conceded two goals similarly. Communication was supposed to come in. Long balls and we failed to defend. But you see, we have been talking to these boys and I think a day before the match, we did the same way again, trying to correct them, but when we faced Civil, we lost two points because of the same issues that we were teaching them during the training session, but that’s how football is all about. We just need to focus, look ahead, and be positive about all the mistakes we have been committing. [And back to the conditions of the pitches] there is a different ball that is played when the pitch is waterlogged, and it’s different when playing at Kamuzu Stadium or Bingu National Stadium because these two surfaces are good. As such, when our opponents are playing secondary balls, we also need to be ready for that style of play. If we are playing on a muddy pitch, let’s quickly get away from that area, which is muddy and play in areas that can give us. results.
On Salima’s good form…
I wouldn’t talk about one player only. These are youngsters who are coming in. Remember, they were with other coaches and by coming here, you also need to sit down with them, teach the system that we are using, tell them what you expect from them as a coach and be closer to them in whatever they feel. They should be able to ask you freely without being afraid, and it will make one go back to his playing form. If you can even see the way Chawanangwa Gumbo played against Civil, he was very good; he was on top of his game, which is one thing that these players need. They need time. You are with them; give them time so that you can see the best in them, and we can give them what we are supposed to be teaching them.
