The confusion that rocked Big Bullets FC on Thursday, whereby the entire executive stepped down, took a dramatic twist at the weekend, when the players pleaded with them to reconsider their decision.
The Bullets executive committee stepped down following a fallout with the main supporters committee.
However, the team’s captain Fischer ‘Anong’a’ Kondowe in an interview on Sunday said the players agreed to persuade the Malinda Chinyama-led executive committee to stay on.
“It is true that as players, we raised concerns over our outstanding game bonuses and this led to a misunderstanding among the executive committee, supporters and trustees.
“But our position is that problems will be there. We have, therefore, asked the executive committee not to act out of emotions. This is an issue that can be resolved amicably.
“We have pleaded with the executive committee through the general secretary Higger Mkandawire not to step down and they have accepted,†said Fischer.
Mkandawire confirmed that the executive backtracked on its earlier decision to quit following a meeting with the players.
“We have no problems with the players. After all, our priority is to see to it that their welfare is taken care of. In football, such things happen and all I can say for now is that we have taken the players’ concerns into consideration and we are ready to continue serving the team,†said Mkandawire.
However, club chairperson, Malinda Chinyama, said he was still consulting on the way forward.
“It is true, the players have pleaded with us to rescind our decision, but personally I am still consulting,†said Chinyama.
Mkandawire has, however, warned that they will not hesitate to step down should the bickering continue while Big Bullets supporters committee chairperson, Geoff Mbalati, has said in as far as they were concerned, the issue has not yet been addressed.
“To begin with, neither we nor the trustees demanded the resignation of the executive committee.
“All we did was to ask them to come and explain why the players were not being paid when we got another tranche from our sponsors Carlsberg Malawi recently.
“It was they [the executive committee] who rushed to the media saying they had quit. We only recommended their suspension to the board of trustees until they account for the money. As far as we are concerned, we asked them to step aside for 10 days until the issue is thoroughly investigated,†said Mbalati.
Trustees chairperson James Busile on Sunday said he needed to consult the stakeholders before commenting on the issue.
“I think we seem to be losing track. I will consult all the stakeholders and then issue the club’s position regarding the executive committee,†said Busile.
