Enos Chatama, Head Coach of Ekhaya Football Club, has laid out an ambitious roadmap for his newly promoted side, declaring that they are on course to challenge Malawi’s “Big Three” teams—FCB Nyasa Big Bullets, Mighty Wanderers, and Silver Strikers—by 2027. Despite a sensational start to their TNM Super League campaign, Chatama cautions against premature expectations, emphasizing that true greatness requires time.
Ekhaya FC, fresh off their 2024 ThumbsUp Premier Division Championship, have been the revelation of the season, currently sitting third in the log table with 20 points from 10 games. Their mettle will be truly tested today as they face table-toppers and footballing giants, FCB Nyasa Big Bullets, in their most significant challenge yet.
Responding to burgeoning comparisons with the established powerhouses, Chatama acknowledged the significant chasm separating Ekhaya from a team like Bullets. “Ekhaya is just a new team in the league; we have just played 10 games,” Chatama stated, framing his club’s journey as a deliberate “project” and “process” with clear “progress.” He added, “We can’t say that we are a big team right now. Bullets, Silver Strikers, and Mighty Wanderers are big teams in the league.”
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Chatama underscored the historical dominance of the traditional giants, noting, “You can look, since the league started in 1986, these three teams have won 31 league titles amongst them.” He contrasted this with Ekhaya’s nascent existence, a club formed just three years ago.
“We are in a process of building a new team. We are not at a position to challenge the big teams as of now. We believe that in 2027, we will have a squad capable of challenging Bullets, Wanderers, and Silver, but as of now, we are in the underdogs category, and we are going into Wednesday’s game as underdogs.”
The Ekhaya coach highlighted the differing aspirations driving the two teams in today’s encounter at Kamuzu Stadium. “It’s a game whereby [the two teams] have got two different ambitions,” he explained. “Bullets are a team with the ambition of winning the league, while Ekhaya has the ambition of staying in the league so that we keep on learning. Next season we learn, we build a team, and in 2027, we challenge the big guns.”
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Chatama emphasized the historical foundations and resilience of the established clubs. “Bullets are a big team, they have been in the game for quite so long, they were born in 1967… Wanderers were born in 1965… while Silver Strikers were born in 1977. We are Ekhaya, we were born three years ago; we need time to become a better team.”
He drew parallels with the rebuilding phases endured by the traditional powerhouses. “Teams like Bullets have had bad punches; they rebuild using other investments. Silver Strikers once went through a bad punch; they are now regaining and they won the league title last season.
“Wanderers are also a better team whereby they have been rebuilt around, they are now a good team. It will take Ekhaya some time to become a good side. It’s a process, but we believe that as we go along, we will build a strong team and challenge the top three.”
While acknowledging the stern test posed by facing his former employers, Chatama expressed confidence in his squad’s readiness. “It will be a tough game considering the fact that Bullets are at the top of the league, we are third; it’s a tough one, but it will depend on how the boys tackle the game,” he remarked.
He downplayed any element of surprise, stating, “We know how Bullets play, they know how we play; there is nothing new about Bullets, it’s the same ordinary team. They are at the top, that’s the advantage; we are a new team whereby we are coming.”
Chatama sees today’s match not as a definitive measure of Ekhaya’s current strength, but as a crucial step in their developmental journey. “Whatever result that comes, it will not describe Ekhaya. We are en route to greatness, we are building a team and heading towards the right direction, but Wednesday’s game will not describe Ekhaya’s strength. Our strength will be described at the end of the season, if we stay, then we are a stronger team.”
He further clarified his perspective on the fixture. “As Ekhaya, we are going to test the alternative, to test the players; it’s more like a friendly match because we want to tackle Bullets and try to see,” Chatama explained, referencing a prior encounter in the Sapitwa4 Bonanza.
“We want to see the boys if they are growing; that will be the right stage to see the strength of the team, to see the capability of the team. We will not complain at the end of 90 minutes, whether we get a positive or negative result, because at the end of the day, we want to see the progress, how the players are progressing.”
Dispelling notions of personal vendetta, Chatama asserted, “I’m not going into this fixture to prove a point; it’s a mere game, two teams are playing. It’s a game whereby we are fighting for points; we don’t need to prove a point.”
He reiterated his long-term vision: “We are in a project; we gave ourselves three years, then after three years, we are going to challenge the top guns. As of today, there are three top guns who have had good runs of spells from 1986 up to date. I believe that as a team, we need to grow, we need to learn, and we need to know.”
Ekhaya comes into this high-stakes encounter following a goalless draw against Dedza Dynamos away from home, while Bullets showcased their dominant form with a convincing 3-0 victory over Moyale Barracks in their last league assignment at Kamuzu Stadium.
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