After defending just one trophy and losing three, coach Kalisto Pasuwa says he is still pleased with his players but believes there are areas for improvement in Malawi football.
Pasuwa, the coach of FCB Nyasa Big Bullets, spoke on Tuesday afternoon after his team lost the Castel Challenge Cup semi-final to Mzuzu City Hammers in Blantyre.
Bullets lost 4-1 on penalties after normal time finished goalless. Mzuzu will meet the Mighty Mukuru Wanderers in the Cup Final.
Pasuwa won all four trophies last year, but has only won the Airtel Top8 Cup, finished third in the league, lost the FDH Bank Cup final on penalties, and lost to Castel in the semifinals.
Pasuwa proud of his team
When asked about his team’s performance this year, he expressed satisfaction with his players and stated that they have delivered.
“My boys were tired; they could not push more; even as a coach, I felt pitiful when they were playing; a body cannot recover in two days’ time, and we were demanding much from them.
“I am proud of my boys; they did well, and people might see it differently but I am happy for them. Next time we need to sit down and see how best we sort out our house,” he said.
Pasuwa believes the officials who govern the game in Malawi leave much to be desired, and he was startled by how fixtures were handled.
“On this one, I don’t know how fixtures are being done, where one team can even go to the final when another is in the quarterfinals and I have seen it for the first time here. I wanted to talk, but you, as a coach, cannot talk about that; it will give pressure to the team,” he said.
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