Masters Security Services FC have unveiled a K120 million budget for their maiden appearance in the TNM Super League.
The Lilongwe club, which has signed more players than any other team (22), has also spent K20 million on the new players, especially on signing-on fees.
The signings include Nigerians Abiodun Abiyoni Akanji and Ezekiel Olasunkanmi and former Flames’ stars Simplex Nthala and Robin Ngalande.
Masters General Secretary, Zacharia Nyirenda, said his team needed to spend in order to assemble a team.
“We would like to make it big in our first season in the Super League. We know it is not possible to achieve success in the Super League with the players we had in the lower league without bringing in some experience,” Nyirenda said.
The purchase of the 22 new players brings the total number of players in Masters Security’s squad to 33, a departure from the norm in the Super League where most sides sign 25.
But Masters Coach, Benjamin Kumwenda, said he has a manageable side.
“My first task will be to culture the players into my style of play. They have to adopt my philosophy so that we pull in the same direction. I will also need to work on their coordination as they are still strangers to each other,” Kumwenda said.
He said out of the 25 players who were on his team’s books in the lower league, he recommended that 15 be retained.
“We lost several of our players on various grounds. Two went to school. Precious Msosa was loaned to us from Wanderers and was recalled. Waliko Mhango has remained in Mzuzu attending to his sick mum. So you should understand why we had to spend on the market,” Kumwenda stated.
Silver Strikers made the second most 10 signings having brought on board 10 players such as Mike Tetteh from Ghana. Surely, the Bankers must have spent a lot.
Masters’ budget is double that of fellow rookies Chitipa United who have budgeted K70 million for the new season.
Masters will also spend more than giants Nyasa Big Bullets who are on a K100 million annual sponsorship with Nyasa Manufacturing Company.
Bullets set aside K12 million budget for buying players, but Interim General Secretary Albert Chigoga, could not state if they have exhausted the money.
The People’s Team only signed free agents Chimango Kayira and Bright Munthali.
Bullets’ sworn rivals, Be Forward Wanderers, were also not very active on the transfer market with former Silver Strikers skipper, Lucky Malata and Yamikani Chester from Azam Tigers being the only big name signing.
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