Former Zambian midfielder Thomas Nyirenda has transitioned into coaching after retiring at the end of the 2023/24 season and is now in charge of youth development at Konkola Blades.
Nyirenda, who previously played for Konkola Mine Police, Konkola Blades, Zanaco and Power Dynamos locally, also had spells in Mozambique with Ferroviario de Beira and UD Songo. He was part of the Zambia national team squad at the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations in Angola.
In an interview with BolaNews, Nyirenda said he is settling into coaching despite the challenges, particularly when it comes to developing young players.
“So far so good; coaching young players is a big challenge in the sense that you need to work more on basics than physical and other aspects,” he noted.
“If a young player misses the basics in an early stage, it becomes a challenge for them. I have seen a number of young players joining big clubs, but they miss the basics. So our main target for us coaching young players is to make sure a player is able to control and pass.”
Nyirenda using experience to mentor young players
He said his playing experience helps him motivate the young players.
“I think my personal experience has really helped me to inspire my players because some of them watched, and some didn’t,” he said.
“So if I’m trying to explain something concerning football, they will accept and understand because they know I was once a player and I was doing things right, so I can’t teach them things that are wrong.”
He added that his long-term goal is to become one of the best coaches in the country.
“As a coach, it’s not really different from the player; when it comes to planning, we all set targets. At least by the time I say I’m done playing or coaching, I have to reach a certain level. As for me, my plan is to become better than the best coaches we have in the country.”
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