Silver Strikers can breathe a sigh of relief after Coach Peter Mponda has reportedly agreed a new two-year deal at the club.
Mponda helped Silver to win the TNM Super League title with two matches to spare after beating Mighty Mukuru Wanderers 1-0 at Kamuzu Stadium in Blantyre on Saturday.
In so doing, he ended the team’s 11-year wait for the title.
However, Mponda has been heavily linked with a return to his former club FCB Nyasa Big Bullets, where he was tipped to replace Zimbabwean Kalisto Pasuwa, who is the favourite for the Malawi National Football Team job.
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A high-profile source at Silver confided in Times Sport on Sunday that Mponda already signed a two-year deal at the start of the second round.
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“It is a done deal between us and Mponda.
“Actually, we are not distracted with rumours linking him to Bullets because everything was concluded,” the source said.
Mponda was tasked to win the TNM Super League title.
“The target was to win the TNM Super League championship. We are happy that, finally, we have won it,” the source said.
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Initially, Mponda signed a one-year contract with Silver in February this year, having replaced Dutchman Pieter de Jongh.
Both Silver Chief Executive Officer Patrick Chimimba and Board Chairperson George Kaudza Masina refused to comment on the matter.
“No comment,” Chimimba said in a written response on Sunday.
Mponda was not readily available for his comment.
Reports suggested that Bullets made an offer of about K8 million monthly salary to lure him to Blantyre from the capital city.
Mponda’s stay at Silver could be a blow to Bullets, who have already started planning for life after Pasuwa.
The Flames former captain was appointed Silver coach after he left his role at Motsepe Foundation Championship side Black Leopards in South Africa.
In a post-match interview on Saturday, Mponda hailed the players for showing great character to win the title.
“Credit should go to the boys for working hard throughout the season.
“I would like to thank the board and the fans for their support,” Mponda said.
Silver wrapped up the title with two matches to spare as they have 64 points from 28 matches, 10 points above second-placed Wanderers.
This means Silver have ended Bullets’ five-year dominance in the league.
Bullets have won the league a record 17 times whereas Silver have nine titles since 1986.
Wanderers have six titles.
