Nyasa Big Bullets winger Peter Banda has spoken of his pride at joining FC Sheriff after the two teams agreed a six-month loan with an option to a permanent move.
Speaking in his first interview with his new club, the 2019 TNM Super League player of the season said it is a dream come true to finally move to Europe as it will take his career to another level.
“I am deeply excited for this opportunity that FC Sheriff has given me. It’s a dream come true because I have always had the bigger picture of me playing in Europe. Getting this deal is not only a big thing to me but it’s also a big thing to Malawian football, especially to my fellow youngsters who have ambitions to play at a bigger stage like this one,” he said.
The 21-year-old whose late father once played for Bullets added that football is something that has been deep-rooted in him.
“I was introduced to football at birth. Yes, my late father was playing for the biggest club in Malawi and apart from him, my whole family is a football/sports family. My late grandfather, who was for a long time coach for Malawi Netball Team was also a football person, my uncles, cousins and almost everyone in my family is a soccer person so you can see how I was influenced into taking football as my career,” he added.
Banda, who became the youngest player to be named player of the season in his debut season said that in 2019 said the accolade was one of the biggest things that happened in his life.
“It’s one of the biggest individual accolades in football and that coming after I had just joined my dream team (Nyasa Big Bullets), coming from a lower league and winning the league title in my debut season was an icing on the cake,” said Banda.
On reuniting with Charles Pete, his former teammate and friend at Bullets, he said: “Charles was one of my close friends back home and reuniting with him here is something that I cherish because it has made life easier. He is someone that I have always looked up to, both when he was playing for Bullets as well as the national team and I know he is going to push me and make me a better player at FC Sheriff.”
The former Bullets winger expressed his satisfaction with his performance during FC Sheriff’s pre-season matches.
“I was happy to be part of the test matches because that was the beginning of my contribution to the FC Sheriff family. I felt good because I was introduced to the FC Sheriff family, the first step to the long journey that I will take with the team. It was good playing with friends and getting to know everyone here. I was so happy to contribute to two goal assists and I would like to achieve more with the team,” he concluded.
