Newly-appointed FCB Nyasa Bullets coach Peter ‘Mjojo’ Mponda has suffered a setback after his target for the position of assistant coach Robert Ng’ambi turned down the offer.
The former Silver Strikers coach had earmarked his former Bullets and Black Leopards teammate to be second in command at the Blantyre-based People’s Team.
In an interview on Wednesday, Ng’ambi said he could not accept the offer as he is already contracted to Football Association of Malawi (FAM) as an assistant coach at Luwinga Academy in Mzuzu.
“It was a a great honour to be offered the job, but under the circumstances, I could not take it up. It was a tight call,” he said.
“In the end, both Peter and the club understood my situation. Hopefully, when a similar opportunity comes up, I will be in a position to take it.”
In a separate interview, Mponda confirmed approaching Ng’ambi and said he will liaise with the club’s management on the way forward.
“I wouldn’t want to talk much on the issue since it is something that is being worked on with club management, but yes, that is the only setback so far,” he said.
Mponda, who guided the Lilongwe-based Bankers to their first TNM Super League title in 11 years last season, was unveiled as Bullets coach on Monday after signing a three-year deal.
It is reported that among others, he has recommended another former Bullets forward Zicco Mkanda as strikers coach and James Chilapondwa as team manager.
The former Flames and Bullets captain previously had a three-season stint at the People’s Team under Zimbabwean tactician Kallisto Pasuwa during which they won three TNM Super League titles before trekking to South Africa to take up a similar role with second-tier league side Black Leopards FC.
He was later promoted to the position of coach before resigning to join Silver back home.
