Ganizani Malunga challenges strikers

Former Big Bullets and Silver Strikers forward Ganizani Malunga has pleaded and, in the same breath, challenged domestic strikers to surpass his record of 28 goals per season set 10 years ago.

Now working as Big Bullets kitmaster, Malunga called on the current generation of strikers to be ambitious for the sake of local football development. Of late, lack of quality strikers has also resulted in Flames’ struggles for goals.

“I want my record to be challenged because 10 years is a long time. I believe there are some quality strikers such as Mussa Manyenje and Chawanangwa Kaonga, who can score more goals. They just need to set targets for themselves and be ambitious. As the season is about to start, I thought I should challenge the strikers,” said Malunga, popularly known as Mbobo at his peak.

He also played for Admarc Tigers and Red Lions during which time he graduated from the Under-20 squad to the Flames he played for until 2003 when he came on in a Nations Cup qualifier against Nigeria at Kamuzu Stadium. Malawi lost 1-0.

He attended trials with Bush Bucks in 2000 alongside Muzipase Mwangonde, but both were not signed with some quarters suggesting that they were disadvantaged by their short heights.

Current strikers struggle to score because, analysts claim, they are not good enough and are rushed without going through developmental stages.

Local strikers are struggling to score more goals so much that a few years ago Diverson Mlozi won the Super League Golden Boot award with just 16 goals.

“I do not think it is an issue of quality. We have good strikers, but we are talking about modern football, teams have become more solid defensively, so it is not easy scoring. Nonetheless, I believe it is possible for our generation to surpass the 28-goal record,” claimed Mlozi on Wednesday.

Flames deputy coach Jack Chamangwana partly agreed with Mlozi that defending tactics have improved compared to the past.

“The other factor is that our strikers did not have proper development. They did not go through stages of youth national teams. They may score when they are unknown in the league, but once defenders know them, the strikers struggle. The other thing is that coaches do not take time to drill strikers at clubs,” Chamangwana explained.

The season starts on Saturday. Lack of more goals seem to be a Southern African problem as top scorers in countries such as South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe have in recent years not scored more than 20 goals in a season.