Over 20 years ago, Albert Mpinganjira could stand on the ball—literally— trick then flick it behind himself and above his marker in one movement before passing to his elder brother Bob to score.
It was domestic football’s deadly combo which proved that blood is not only thicker than water but also football.
Albert was outrageously talented. Bob was simply an efficient scorer.
Now, Bob and Albert have been tasked with transferring their telepathic understanding from the pitch to the technical bench when they lead Wanderers to this season’s second instalment of the Blantyre derby at Bingu National Stadium Saturday.
The Nomads face Bullets in an Airtel Top 8 semi-final in Lilongwe, a month after the giants drew 0-0 in a TNM Super League first-round match that saw The People’s Team’s two efforts ruled offside.
Bullets assistant Coach, Elia Kananji, has since warned his charges to expect Wanderers’ fight-back.
“It is a game you can’t predict. It is all about how a team applies itself in the actual match. It is a match that springs surprises. A team might struggle heading into a derby only to perform,” said Kananji, who also coached Wanderers a few years ago.
Wanderers, with their Super League title defence in doubt, can rescue their wayward season by winning the Airtel cup which they failed to claim last year after losing 10-9 on post-match penalties to Silver Strikers.
With veteran Yasin Osman, who earned Wanderers the Super League title last season, pushed upstairs to Technical Director— previously occupied by Jack Chamangwana (now deceased)— Bob and Albert have been thrown to the deep end.
Bob and Albert have been tasked with breathing life into a lifeless frontline that has been so shy in front of goal in the same manner a man does when facing a mother-in-law.
Wanderers have in eight games in all competitions this season scored six goals, including two in the Airtel Top, and conceded four goals.
Little wonder, the Nomads lie 12th on the league’s log table with eight points from six games, 13 points behind the leaders Bullets.
Bullets are unbeaten in 11 games in all competitions and have conceded just two goals this season.
Bob, who also served as Wanderers’ caretaker coach years ago, came face-to-face with the ghosts that are haunting Wanderers in Sunday’s 1-0 loss to Red Lions at Mangochi Stadium.
After the game, Bob admitted that his charges needed more than scoring boots to turn their fortune around. He preached the gospel of unity.
“It is too early to count us out of the race. We will do our homework. I am confident that we will bounce back strongly. We are still in contention. We just need to be calm and work together to achieve good results,” said the Nomads legend who, during his heydays, was nicknamed Saviour because of his scoring ability.
If Bob and Albert are to deliver as coaches they need to share scoring tips with the Nomads strikers such as Khumbo Ng’ambi, Zicco Mkanda, Julius Kajembe, Peter Wadabwa and Esau Kanyenda.
Bob and Albert used to combine to devastating effect when breaching the tightest of defences and scoring.
Such a combination is lacking at Wanderers as they have changed from Wadabwa and Ng’ambi, Mkanda and Kanyenda etc. The change in the frontline is partly due to injuries.
For Bob and Albert scoring was not about a profile of a game, tightness of defence or their form. Bob just never left the pitch without being registered on the scoreboard.
Scoring was Bob’s way of life. It is difficult remembering any local striker who netted eight goals in a single match like he did when Wanderers punished University FC (now defunct) 9-1 at Kamuzu Stadium in 2001.
Whether he can also transfer that skill to his strikers is a different ball game all together. Over to you Mpinganjira brothers.
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