FCB Nyasa Bullets president Konrad Buckle has said the club’s struggles in the 2024 season were a result of the unprecedented success they enjoyed last season.
He said this on Monday night during the club’s red carpet event at Golden Peacock Hotel in Blantyre, where outstanding players, legends and supporters were honoured.
Said Buckle: “We won everything last season and that might have been a little bit greedy and we paid the price.”
Bullets’ five-year TNM Super league title dominance coupled with their quadruple glory was brought to a halt this season when they could only manage a third-place finish and Airtel Top 8 triumph.
However, the Bullets boss vowed that the People’s Team will bounce back stronger to sweep all domestic trophies next season.
“We have nominated a new young dynamic board that is coming up with great ideas on how to carry the team forward. We also look at the players, the management and the team we have. We have a plan,” he said.
“We are not walking blindly into 2025. Everybody that has supported Bullets is in for a phenomenal surprise. We realised we need to up our game. We have regrouped and there are a lot of changes coming. I promise you, we will make a big difference.”
Buckle added that football is played with emotions and its too easy to be at the top and then fall at the bottom.
He said: “This has been a big lesson learned. Football, passion, emotions, disappointment and joy. It’s a terrible game, isn’t it?”
The Bullets president also congratulated Mighty Mukuru Wanderers for winning the Castel Challenge Cup but warned that Bullets will be back stronger next season to get back everything.
“The 2024 season has not been the greatest for us. Let me congratulate neighbours Wanderers for winning the cup. This is good for football,” he said.
“Let me also tell you that in 2025, we will be number one again. Life is a journey. You cannot be at the top all the time. It doesn’t matter how you fall, but how you lift yourself up and move on. I need to encourage Bullets to continue working together.”
Representing the club’s sponsors, First Capital Bank’s (FCB) head of marketing Twikale Chirwa said although Bullets did not perform to expectations this season, they were proud of the team for maintaining discipline.
“We trust that Bullets will always strive to get back to their best performance and we are proud to be the club’s sponsors,” he said.
The awards, which FCB bankrolled to the tune of K10 million, saw defender Nickson Nyasulu becoming the biggest winner as he won both the player of the season accolade for 2024 and the best defender of the season.
Goalkeeper Richard Chimbamba, who had 13 clean sheets, was named the best goalkeeper while Lloyd Aaron, who featured in Bullets’ 29 games after jumping ship from Civil Service United last season, emerged as the best midfielder.
The best striker award was given to Nigerian Babatunde Adepoju, who scored 13 goals in 39 appearances, whereas Chikumbitso Salima clinched the most improved player honours. He scored four goals and provided five assists.
Former Bullets attacker Patrick Mwaungulu, who now plays in the Democratic Republic of Congo, was recognised as the club’s best player for the 2023 season.
Bullets’ legend Mustafa Munshi, who played for the club between 1966 and 1974 and won the country’s first Footballer of the Year Award, was also decorated alongside two other legends Chancy ‘Vinny’ Gondwe and Andrew ‘Aluki’ Chikhosi.
Bullets’ former chairpersons Malinda Chinyama and the late James Kamfose were also honoured alongside former general secretary Harry Mtuwa, who served under five chairpersons.
The 12th player was not left out in the cold as Martin ‘Chicharito’ Josiah, Ganizani Khumbanyiwa and MacMillan Mpinganjira were named best supporters. They each received K150 000.
