Newly appointed Mufulira Wanderers head coach Lameck Banda has set his sights on qualifying for the ABSA Cup and elevating the team to the upper ranks of the league standings by the end of week 10.

Banda was officially unveiled as head coach on Tuesday, signing a three-year deal with the legendary club. The former FC Muza boss becomes the youngest coach ever to take charge of the historic side.

He is expected to help restore the club’s past glory, with Mufulira Wanderers having last won the league title in 1996.

Banda enjoyed a successful stint with FC Muza during the 2022–23 season, guiding the team to its maiden appearance in the CAF Confederation Cup and their first ABSA Cup final, where they lost to Forest Rangers. He also previously coached Lumwana Radiants.

“It wasn’t an easy thing to take, but you know as a coach you need to be ambitious and be able to pick up challenges that will make you grow and be able to exploit new opportunities,” he said on ZNBC Radio 4’s Sports Program.

“What is important is to be brave. Like I said, it’s not an easy undertaking, but with the support from everyone I think we will be able to add value to the team. It’s a good side, we just need to polish it up and play according to the way we want to play,” he added.

Banda on immediate target

“Our immediate target is to find ourselves amongst the top class by week 10 and be able to qualify for the ABSA Cup. Hopefully, we are targeting a top-four finish, and it’s possible we can do it looking at the material here,” he said.

Banda’s first assignment in the Super League will be an away fixture against Mines United, followed by a home game against NAPSA Stars.

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