Bullets get CAF nod
CAF has given FCB Nyasa Bullets the seal of approval to participate in the 2023/24 TotalEnergies CAF Champions League after meeting the continental football governing body’s new club licensing requirements.
In an interview on Thursday, Football Association of Malawi (FAM) club licensing manager Casper Jangale also said despite interest from some clubs, notably Blue Eagles, Bullets are once again the only team that will take part in a continental club tournament.
“Bullets made a formal application to participate in the next edition of the CAF Champions League and having met CAF’s new online club licensing requirements through the [FAM] First Instant Body, they got the approval,” he said.
“We commend Bullets for, once again, joining the continental tournament as it provides an opportunity for players to be exposed on the international stage.”
Qualifiers for the 60th edition of the Africa premier club competition will run from August 18 to September 30.
Bullets have been knocked out at the first hurdle in the past four editions of the continental club showpiece and asked what plans they have to stand the heat this time around, the People’s Team chief administration officer Albert Chigoga said: “It’s a new edition altogether. We believe we have a team capable of making things happen.
“You don’t go to war with lack of confidence.”
On whether there are plans to beef up the squad for the tournament, he
said: “If the head coach sees it necessary, he will let us know and we will proceed accordingly.”
But South Africa-based former Bullets forward Grant Lungu, who was a member of the Bullets’ squad that qualified for the group stages in 2005, said there is need for the TNM Super League champions to beef up their squad.
He said: “They have a predominantly young squad which cannot last the distance. This tournament is not for boys, they need to sign a couple of experienced players.
“We were able to go that far in 2004 because we were a star-studded side.”
The Bullets’ class of 2004 reached the last eight after defying the odds to eliminate SC Villa of Uganda, Zanaco FC of Zambia and Orlando Pirates of South Africa in the qualifying rounds.
Last year, Bullets were booted out on a 4-0 aggregate by Simba SC of Tanzania while in the 2021/22 edition, they were eliminated on 3-2 aggregate by AmaZulu FC of South Africa.
Champions of the tournament cart home a cool $4 million (about K4.1 billion).
