Mbulu dry spell in Mozambique

Last season TNM top goal scorer, Richard Mbulu is reportedly having tough time and getting game time in his new club, Costa do Sol in Maputo Mozambique.

Mbulu now 24, was top goal scorer in the 2016 TNM Super League with 19 goals and he secured golden boot award outclassing Chiukepo Msowoya and Peter Wadabwa, who had scored 16 and 15 goals respectively.

The Mozambican side Costa do Sol requested for his services from his club lakeshore side based, Mafco to join them in March 2017.

“I think the club has a lot of players and it appears that Mbulu is having tough time to find a regular place in the team,” a Maputo resident, Manuel Cossam Phiri said Friday in an interview.

He said when he joined the team early in this year he was talk of the town but as of late he is not featuring anywhere or making headlines in the Mozambican papers.

Phiri said the season is midway through but he has not made any impact to the team unlike what Mkanda, Joseph Kamwendo and Msowoya did when they came to play here.

“I am very doubtful if the club will extend his contract at the end of the season as a result of his current performance,” he noted.
A Malawian based in Nampula player, former Flames striker, Zicco Mkanda said Mbulu is on and off.

He said Costa do Sol has a lot of players and it is not easy to play regularly in such situation.

“I am not sure as to how many goals he has scored so far since he joined Mocambola league. I hope if given a chance in the second of the season, he can excel and making positive impact to the team,” Mkanda believed.

Former Flames defender Moses Chavula described Mbulu as a quality striker in the Mozambican league but has to up his game.
He said although it is tough nowadays to get goals in the league or correct maximum points for most teams but am hopeful that one day, Mbulu will find his scoring boots.

“We are midway through the season and HBC Songo club is leading the pack with 24 points. The team has Malawian players like Charles Swini and Frank Banda. Chingale of Tete, Macuacua and Primeio de Maio are fighting relegation battle so far,” Chavula, former Costa do Sol defender explained.

Despite having no regular game time and proper scoring record, Football Association of Malawi (FAM) has however included him as one of the strikers to join camp in preparation for the Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Comoros next week, June 9, 2017 in Lilongwe.

FAM Vice President, James Mwenda said when players are called in camp the first things the coach do is to monitor their fitness.

“ This is why we have invited 30 players in camp and then only fit ones will make it to the final selection in which the coach will pick them before the day of the actual game,” he pointed out.

Mwenda said not everyone who has been called into camp will make it to the final selection.

“Take note also that when the player is not playing games in his club does not mean that he not fit to be selected for the national team.

”For instance in England, Manchester United has Fellain who is not first choice in the team but he plays as first choice for Belgium National team. This also implies to players like Chris Smalling and Phil Johns for England, they are not regulars but have places in the team,” he argued.

Mbulu could not be reached on his mobile number as we sought to hear his views on his current performance in Mozambique.

All have failed to indicate how many goals Mbulu has scored in Mozambique since his arrival in March.

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