Silver, Bullets rule out international friendlies
Nyasa Big Bullets and Silver Strikers have ruled out the possibility of playing international friendly matches in preparation for continental club competitions.
Bullets will participate in the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Champions League while Silver will carry the Malawi flag in CAF Confederations Cup.
With less than two months before the competitions kick off, both teams have not secured international friendly matches.
Silver chief executive officer Thoko Chimbali said there are no plans to play strength testing matches against foreign clubs.
This is despite Tanzanian giants Simba Sports Club showing interest to play the Central Bankers at home.
Chimbali on Monday said nothing tangible had been reached yet on the prospect of playing international friendly matches.
“We have not come to any meaningful conclusion,” he said.
It is also the same story at Bullets where chief administration officer Albert Chigoga said they have not considered playing international friendly matches.
He said: “The team will continue to intensify training for the domestic league and cup competitions while eagerly awaiting the Champions League draw to determine how to prepare for the continental competition.”
However, football analyst Charles Nyirenda said international friendly matches could help the teams to gauge their readiness for the competitions.
He said: “Of course, the teams have been active in the TNM Super League. But this is a whole different level. Playing in CAF competitions requires the teams to have stamina equivalent to that level. The only way to know if they are ready for that is by playing international friendlies.”
Nyirenda said it is imperative that players appearing at the CAF club competitions for the first time, shed off stage flight through international friendlies.
The People’s Team last participated in the elite tournament in 2019 when they were kicked out in the preliminaries by FC Platinum of Zimbabwe 3-2 on aggregate.
On the other hand, the Central Bankers last participated in the tournament in 2018 when they were also booted out in the preliminary round by Gabonese side AO CMS in post-match penalties.
But another analyst Kelvin Moyo felt it would be difficult to play international friendly matches due to a tight schedule in the local calendar.
He said: “It will be difficult to play friendlies with the league in session. But they need to enhance their playing squads if they are thinking of making it past the preliminary round. Getting players on loan from other clubs is a bad arrangement, it is better to get them permanently.
“Imagine you get a player on loan for the Champions League from another team and the parent team is involved at semi or final level of a particular tournament while the loaned club has a champions league fixture. I see a lot of conflict and it shows lack of planning.”
