Former Chipolopolo midfielder Thomas Nyirenda, 39, has revealed that he is relishing to once again play in the Zambian Super League before hanging up his boots.
Nyirenda last played in the Zambian Super League in 2015 with Power Dynamos, having also featured for Zanaco Football Club in the elite league.
He also had stints at Mozambican clubs including CF Beira and UD Songo before returning home to join his boyhood club, Konkola Blades. He was crucial in Blades’ promotion to the Super League.
READ MORE: Konkola blades back to topflight football
In an interview with BolaNews, Nyirenda said he is eagerly looking forward to playing in the Super League again.
“After coming back from Mozambique, I decided to join my former club Konkola Blades which was in National Division One. Now we are back in the Super League, I always wanted to play Super League football before I hung up my boots,” Nyirenda said.
Nyirenda who is mostly remembered for his infamous penalty miss at the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations against Nigeria in the quarterfinals is anticipating tough matches in the Super League with fans placing high expectations on him and the team going by last season’s performance in National Division One.
“It’s been a long time since I played in the Super League, competition is tough in the top league. People who watched me in the National League are looking forward to watching me in the Super League.
“We have managed to bring the team back in the Super League, it will be exciting to play teams like Zesco United and other teams in the top tier.”
“It is good to play with young players”- Nyirenda
The former Chipolopolo defensive midfielder is alive to the fact that he needs to put in more work in order to help Konkola Blades, adding a blend of young and experienced players will help the club survive another season in the top league.
“They [fans] will have to expect a lot from me but I have to put in my best so that people see what they are expecting from me,” he said.
“It is good to play with young players and experienced players. Young players can do the ‘donkey work’ but can’t sometimes read the game well while you can’t do the hard stuff but have to use the command to guide the upcoming players.”
Nyirenda, who was also captain last season, has ruled out a move away from Konkola stadium, stating that he will be retiring at the end of the 2023/23 Super League season.
“I can’t leave Konkola Blades at the moment, even if I received an offer from another club, I can’t,” Nyirenda said. “I think this is my last season because, by the end of the coming season, I will be 40 years.
“40 years is a good age for me to hang up my boots. It is better to stop when people are still clapping for you than to stop when people are insulting you.”
