Ng’onamo’s comments irk Bullets

Comments made by Big Bullets coach Eddington Ng’onamo soon after the team’s 1-0 loss to Epac United, have not been taken lightly by some senior players and the club’s leadership.

In a post-match interview, Ng’onamo partly blamed last Saturday, league match loss on some senior players whom he said have run out of steam and need to be taken off gradually.

However, the club’s executive committee and some senior players have accused the coach of trying to find a scapegoat for the team’s poor showing because of pressure from supporters.

Bullets general secretary Higger Mkandawire said: “It was very unfortunate for the coach [Ng’onamo] to shift the blame to the senior players.

“The finger-pointing by the coach was unnecessary because it is the same old players that have been performing all along. His comments can demoralise the players and cause unnecessary tension. We should win and lose as a team and not point fingers at each other when things don’t go our way”.

Mkandawire also said they are waiting for the Flames to return from Rwanda to call for an emergency indaba where the issue will be sorted out.

One of the senior players, James ‘Terminator’ Chilapondwa, said it was not proper for the coach to point fingers at his charges.

“In football, you should expect three results—a win, a loss and a draw—and if the coach said that, then it was very unfortunate.

“If anything, he shouldn’t have gone public, perhaps if he had that concern he should have dealt with it internally other than going public because senior players are demoralised with what he said,” said Chilapondwa.

Meanwhile, Bullets chairperson Malinda Chinyama said they have taken heed of the concerns raised by some supporters to the effect that the coaches seem to have lost their way.

Some irate fans staged a protest against the poor performance of the team and others demanded the removal of the coaches.