Wanderers admit being in bad shape
TNM Super League defending champions Be Forward Wanderers have conceded that they are struggling to discover their top form having failed to win a game during the four-team Football Association of Malawi (FAM) Charity Shield at the weekend.
The Nomads lost to Silver Strikers 2-0 in the semi-finals on Saturday before conceding a 1-0 defeat to Kamuzu Barracks (KB) in a third place play-off a day later at Bingu National Stadium in Lilongwe.
Analysing their performance, Wanderers team manager Steve Madeira said there were no positives to take home.
“Sometimes you lose when you have given your best shot. But in the two games there was nothing positive. We were terrible and we need to look at ourselves in the mirror,” he said.
Madeira said it was worrisome that their form was deteriorating when the new season is about to kick off. The Nomads face Silver in the league opener on Saturday.
“The loss might be a blessing in disguise because they will give us a chance to polish ourselves. On the other side, however, it is a big blow because we may not have time to sort our problems,” he said.
He further expressed worry over blunt striking force which he said has been a major concern in most of the new season preparatory games.
On his part, the Nomads captain Alfred Manyozo Jnr said he is optimistic of turning the corner.
“I think we are just going through a bad patch because we have been playing well and creating chances, but we cannot just convert the chances.
“I wouldn’t blame the strikers for that lapse. We are failing as a team. However, by the time the Super League kicks off this Saturday, we will be ready,” he said.
The Nomads skipper also dismissed speculations that divisions among the players are contributing to the team’s poor run.
“There is a lot being said that we [players] are divided, but there is no grain of truth whatsoever. Actually, there is good team spirit.
“Maybe it’s also a blessing in disguise that we did not win a game during the shield because it would have given us false hopes that we are in shape,” he said.
The Nomads have won only one pre-season match against Mafco FC (1-0) and have drawn five others—most of them against small teams, among them Mangochi Select, Trouble Makers, Mitundu Select and Dedza Young Soccer.
While Wanderers are struggling for form, their archrivals Nyasa Big Bullets got a morale booster after emerging as champions of the Charity Shield, a tournament that curtain raises for the Super League kick-off.
