The National Football Coaches Association and renowned coach Kinnah Phiri have expressed their disapproval of FCB Nyasa Bullets following the club”s decision to terminate coach Peter Mponda. The announcement came on Sunday, just a day after the team played to a goalless draw against the relegation-threatened Mighty Tigers. This outcome significantly diminished their hopes for the league title, especially in light of their rivals Mighty Wanderers securing a dominant 6-0 victory over Moyale Barracks.
During Mponda”s tenure, which spanned 37 matches, the team achieved 25 wins, five draws, and seven losses, including three defeats against their arch-rivals, the Mighty Wanderers. In separate interviews, both the chairperson of the coaches” body, Aubrey Nankhuni, and Phiri noted that Mponda”s performance should be viewed more favorably.
Nankhuni stated, “Unless there are other reasons we are unaware of, we believe Mponda”s performance was commendable. He took over at a time when many regular players had left and still managed to win the Airtel Top 8. Given that Bullets have a relatively average squad this season, their ability to contend for the league title until the final stages is impressive.” He added that Bullets have actually accumulated more points this season compared to the previous one and that Mponda still had opportunities to compete for the Castel Cup.
He indicated that they would meet with Mponda to understand the reasons behind his dismissal. Kinnah Phiri, a celebrated figure in Bullets history, labeled the decision as “unfair” and “emotionally driven.” He remarked, “It was a hasty decision; I doubt whether they consulted adequately before reaching this conclusion. If there were specific shortcomings, they could have waited until the end of the season to address them. Coaches typically provide reports, which would have served as a reasonable starting point.” Phiri further emphasized that while Mponda may have had some shortcomings like any coach, he is among the most promising local coaches, and the lack of depth in the squad makes the decision to let him go questionable.
Football analyst Charles Nyirenda commented on the situation, stating it is difficult to form a solid opinion due to the manner in which the dismissal was handled. He said, “The specific reasons that prompted Bullets to expedite the process of releasing the coach with one game remaining in the Super League season, rather than waiting for the conclusion of the Castel Challenge Cup competition, have not been made clear. Since the hiring of coaches and achieving objectives do not always align, it remains to be seen if changing the manager will solve the club”s issues or if further actions are needed.”
Mponda had been tasked with winning either the league title or two cups in his first season. He secured one cup and was still in contention for the second. Currently, Bullets sit second in the Super League with 63 points from 29 matches, trailing their rivals and champions Mighty Wanderers by five points.
