Injured players take advantage of Covid-19
The long season break, brought by the suspension of all football activities due to the novel coronavirus (Covid-19), has come as a blessing for TNM Super League players nursing long-term injuries.
With the TNM Super League kick-off on hold due to the pandemic, it has worked to the advantage of injured players.
Nyasa Big Bullets captain John Lanjesi was not ready to return in March when the season was scheduled to kick off. However, he is now ready for action.
“I have been out of action since early last season after sustaining an ankle injury. I undergone surgery on October 11 last year. I feel better now as I have recovered. It’s just a matter of time to be physically fit.
“If the season had started from March, I couldn’t have been able to play because I was not physically fit,” Lanjesi explained.
He disclosed that: “My injury has made me to lose a lot of things such as receiving game bonuses, training allowances, my fitness levels dropped as well as missing my fans.”
But Lanjesi applauded Bullets for keeping on paying his salary.
“I feel like the club has not benefited much from me while I was injured, but frankly speaking they have done a lot for me to survive,” Lanjesi said.
Former Mzuni FC defender, Lughano Kayira, had his chances of making a debut for Be Forward Wanderers in the TNM Super League shattered when he sustained an ankle injury in pre-season.
“I sustained an injury during a friendly match against Hangover FC at Kamuzu Stadium. I have now recovered.
“It’s not that the Covid-19 pandemic is a blessing to my injury, but I have used this time to recover. I am very ready, desperate and hungry to play for Be Forward,” he said.
In an interview, Wanderers assistant coach Oscar Kaunda said he is hopeful that all the injured players are now in good conditions.
He said: “We had a number of injured players such as Atsiga, Eric Yasintha, Rafiq Namwela who are now fine.
“Any player, who is injured cannot wait to get back on the pitch, you feel free. This long break due to Covid-19 has not been a blessing, but an advantage for our players to recover. So I am sure our players will enjoy football in the next season.
Blue Eagles defender, Wonder Jeremani also said the break has helped him to recover from his knee injury.
“I have not fully recovered, I am very sure by the time the season begins I will be ready for action since my progress is maturing everyday and able to do training on my own,” he said.
Former Silver Strikers Kondwani Mwaila also suffered an ankle injury which forced him out of action.
He said: “I had a terrible ankle injury when I was featured in the CAF Confederation Cup in Gabon, but I forced myself to play because I didn’t know it was worse.
“I have not fully recovered, but I am sure by the time the season starts I will be fine,” Mwaila said.
