Mponda lands job in South Africa
FCB Nyasa Bullets first assistant coach Peter ‘Mjojo’ Mponda has been hired as head coach by his former South African club Black Leopards.
The former Flames captain and assistant coach left for South Africa yesterday to seal the deal with the Limpopo Province-based second-tier outfit.
Mponda confirmed the move in an interview yesterday, saying the deal is almost done.
He said: “We have agreed personal terms with Leopards and I am happy, but I am yet to sign the contract.
“We hope to finalise everything tomorrow [today]. The negotiations have been going on for months and I am happy that we are almost through.”
Mponda said his first task will be to rejuvenate Leopards, who were relegated from the second-tier Motsepe Foundation Championship in the just-ended season, but will remain in the league after successfully securing the status of All Stars FC.
The former Flames centre-back said he will greatly miss Bullets.
He said: “Bullets have always been part of me. It is a team that is dearest to my heart, but sometimes there comes a time when you have to face other challenges.
“I do not want to believe that this was my last stint with Bullets and at an opportune time, I will be back.
“This is the club that has helped me a lot in my football career and I will forever remain indebted to the club. I thank the team’s board, management, players and, above all, fellow technical staff, especially head coach Kalisto Pasuwa for their support.”
However, Bullets chief administration officer Albert Chigoga said Mponda has informed them that he is in South Africa to attend a job interview while Leopards had not responded to our questionnaire by press time at 4pm.
During his tenure as Bullets assistant coach, the club has won four TNM Super League titles on the trot. He also guided them to the final of the East and Central Africa Football Associations (Cecafa) Club Championship final three years ago.
Mponda played for Leopards between 2005 and 2010 when the club was still in the Premier Soccer League before moving to Santos FC in Cape Town.
