Bob clarifies on new Nomads role

Former Mighty Wanderers head coach Bob Mpinganjira says his return to the Nomads as reserve side coach is by choice and not a demotion.

The Nomads legend was left out of the technical panel announced at the start of the season and he was replaced by Eddingtone Ng’onamo. Nomads’ board secretary Humphrey Mvula attributed Mpinganjira’s exclusion to abscondment from work.

But confirming his return in an interview yesterday, the Nomads legend said he never resigned from Wanderers.

He said: “There were reasons I wasn’t reporting for duties. First, you will recall that I was part of the Flames’ technical panel at the [delayed 2021] Afcon [Africa Cup of Nations] in Cameroon and after the tournament, I needed a bit of a rest.

“Unfortunately weeks later, I lost my son and I had to give myself time to mourn.

“Of course, there was a lot happening behind the scenes which led to the appointment of the new technical panel.

“Apparently, when I was asked by the team’s management about my future, I explained to them that under the circumstances, I would be willing and comfortable to assist the reserve side.

“I want to assist in revamping the reserve side. Actually, I have already started that process and we are having fresh trials to identify new players so as to strengthen the team.”

In a separate interview yesterday, Mvula said they have engaged him to build the reserve and youth teams because that is their weakest area.

He said: “All I can say is that we needed someone to anchor so that the reserve and youth teams are feeding into the main team. The intention is that ultimately, we should stop bringing in players that have not gone through the Wanderers world. “We are simply retracing our roots. We want to have a crop of players that will cry when they lose. We want to build a professional and committed Wanderers player.”