Malawi: Bullets fire coach Mponda…what went wrong

Legendary coach Peter Mponda lost his job as FCB Nyasa Big Bullets head coach on Sunday, a day after missing out on a fundamental league target in Malawi’s top flight.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Nyasa Big Bullets FC (@nyasabigbullets)

A goalless draw against wounded and toothless Mighty Tigers on Saturday confirmed that Bullets had fired off the TNM Super League championship target for the second consecutive season.

This is the piece of glory he delivered with Silver Strikers in 2024, before he listened to his heart and not the brain to leave the Lilongwe giants instead of staying put.

The temptation to return home to the club where he rose from the youth ranks up to the senior team between 1995 and 1998 was too high.

However, poor man management of an already depleted side, that had sold its finest talent en masse, antagonised his squad which he shuffled recklessly without a recognizable first XI.

In a statement, club management stated clearly that it was its own decision to let go of their former captain.

“FCB Nyasa Big Bullets FC has decided to part ways with head coach Peter Mponda with immediate effect,” the club’s statement reads.

“We are grateful to Peter for his commitment and service during his time with the club and wish him well for the future.”

The former Malawi skipper departs the role having delivered the Airtel Top 8 trophy, which was not enough to save his job with the record 17-time champions.

The most followed club in Malawi has high standards with winning the TNM Super League as the bare minimum.

Mponda presided over unprecedented six league defeats, unacceptable for the record champions in a single season, their woes worsened by a fall-out with fellow club legend Fischer Kondowe who was elbowed from his role as a second assistant coach in November.

Saturday’s result was a decade’s low for a side that lies five points behind champions-elect Mighty Wanderers each team with a game to go.

Perhaps the writing was on the wall the moment Mponda lost thrice this season alone across all competitions to the bitter rivals Wanderers. You just don’t lose to a sworn rival thrice in one campaign let alone by a scoreline of 3-0 and fail to even score in such grudge meetings.

Assistant coach Gilbert Chirwa has been named as the interim head coach for the rest of the season.