Mighty Wanderers’ loss to rivals Nyasa Big Bullets in the Blantyre derby that marked the 2022 TNM Super League kick-off on Saturday has ignited calls for the club to commercialise.

The Nomads, boasting players aged 30-years on average, lost 2-1 to a youthful Bullets side of up-and-coming players.

Wanderers and Bullets battling it out on Saturday

The loss comes after the Nomads also lost 4-1 to Bullets in Airtel Top 8 semi-final in December for them to finish the 2021 season without a trophy.

The blame has now been heaped on Wanderers’ failure to adopt commercialisation as the club is embroiled in internal squabbles.

Former Wanderers chairperson Gift Mkandawire, who was a member of the task force instituted to champion commercialisation but never saw its recommendations implemented, said in an interview that the Nomads risk continuing playing catch-up to Bullets.

He said: “Football is an art. It requires lots of strategic thinking. Without bias, I am Wanderers to the hilt, but let me salute Bullets and its management. The investment and hope being planted in the young talent can’t go unnoticed.

“The transition process is admirable. If this trend continues for the next three years, the gap between Bullets and other teams will be extremely wide. Congratulations Fleetwood Haiya [Bullets vice-president] and team for professionalism in this art.”

Another member of the task force, Mabvuto Missi, also expressed similar sentiments on the Nomads predicament.

He said: “Let’s accept when things are going wrong. Wanderers need youthful administrators and players. By the time we will realise this we will be in relegation zone. Act now please; bring young and vibrant football administrators. Congrats to all teams with youthful administrators.

“For now let’s accept that we can’t match you in all structures. We’re still fixing the puzzle. Congrats Maule. For my beloved Noma, please never lose hope just work on bringing in youthful administrators.”

Soccer analyst Charles Nyirenda said Wanderers need to act fast to narrow the gap with Bullets.

He said: “Look here, we have two teams; one with all the structures needed for modern football and another still not sure about a direction it is taking.

“Try as they can, it will be difficult for the team that is disorganised to beat one that is now five years into commercialisation.

“Wanderers need to wake up and smell the coffee. We need strong clubs so that we can have a strong national team.”

Wanderers, a registered company, are currently run by a board with business mogul and philanthropist Thom Mpinganjira as president.

However, the club’s supporters have decided to let Mpinganjira take over the club, but this has led to divisions.

One group is under group board secretary Humphrey Mvula while the other faction is reporting to the other board members.

There have been calls for a board meeting to rectify the differences, but it is yet to be announced when it will be held.

Early this month the division forced the players to call for the resignation of the board of directors.

More than 20 players including Stanley Sanudi, Yamikani Chester, Chiukepo Msowoya, Peter Cholopi, Alfred Manyozo junior, William Thole and Francis Mulimbika signed the petition.

However, Mvula has refused to comment rocking the club.

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