Nam footballers join foreign clubs

TWO former Brave Warriors players clinched deals with a Malaysian premiership outfit this week; another signed a three-year contract with a South African club yesterday.

Former Brave Warriors midfield dynamo Congo Hindjou and right winger Paulus Shipanga signed one-year deals with Malaysian-based Sabh Football Club, which competes in the premiership in that country. Yesterday, former Ramblers striker Lazarus Kaimbi signed a three-year contract with South African Premier Soccer League (PSL) powerhouse Jomo Cosmos.The business manager of the three players told The Namibian Sport that Hindjou and Shipanga had signed one-year deals which are renewable, while Kaimbi also has an option to renew when his contract expires.April said he was in negotiations with the Malaysian side for over five months and was glad that the players did well despite competition from many players from different parts of the world who also fought for places in the team.He said players came from countries such as Brazil, Chile, Ghana and Nigeria in the hope of being signed in the league that has attracted many African players.Shipanga, a former Blue Waters player, last played for Bidvest Wits in the South African first division (Mvela Golden League), while Hindjou was lately one of the assistant coaches and former player at Namibian premiership champions, Civics.Hindjou, now at age 27, aspires to make a comeback to the national team fold, but has not played since 2003 and hopes that by joining a professional club such as Sabh, he might be included in the team again, according to April.”He is one of the finest midfielders in recent times of Namibian football and it will be a bonus for him to be given a chance, provided he proves himself at his new club.”Shipanga played for Namibia during this year’s Cosafa Castle Cup, but failed to impress, but April thinks that he is a quality player who can pick up his game again.Kaimbi, who was possibly the youngest player at Ramblers at the age of 20, has now joined his Namibian counterparts such as national team goalkeeper Zico Paulus, former Blue Waters forward Wycliff Kambonde, ex Black Africa and Orlando Pirates frontman Saul Coetzee and Sidney Plaatjies, also from Blue Waters.The general manager of Cosmos, Kwezi Mazondo, told The Namibian Sport yesterday that Kaimbi is “very quick, has vision and is a strong player”.”We are grateful at Cosmos to have a player like him because he has a lot of potential to develop into one of the deadliest strikers in this league,” he said.Mazondo also had words of praise for April, who he thinks has done a great job in finding professional clubs for the many talented Namibian footballers.”He is a professional and we like the job that he has done to the players from Namibia,” he said.Namibia also has several other players in the South African league, with Black Leopards having singed striker Costa Khaiseb, (former Ramblers/Civics), goalie Athiel Mbaha (former Blue Waters), goalie Ephraim Tjihonge and defender Hartman Toromba (both former Black Africa).At Moroka Swallows, also a PSL club, defenders Mohammed Ouseb and George Hummel and former Ramblers hitman and Brave Warriors captain Henrico Botes form the trio from Namibia.Warriors midfielder Robert Nauseb plays for Santos, also in the PSL, while former Orlando Pirates defender Richard Gariseb turns out for Bidvest Wits in the same league.Former Civics goalkeeper Danzyl Bruwer plays for Bay United in the Mvela Golden League, while ex-Ramblers striker, Partick M’kotwana is in the books of City Pillars, also in the same league.Yesterday, former Ramblers striker Lazarus Kaimbi signed a three-year contract with South African Premier Soccer League (PSL) powerhouse Jomo Cosmos.The business manager of the three players told The Namibian Sport that Hindjou and Shipanga had signed one-year deals which are renewable, while Kaimbi also has an option to renew when his contract expires.April said he was in negotiations with the Malaysian side for over five months and was glad that the players did well despite competition from many players from different parts of the world who also fought for places in the team.He said players came from countries such as Brazil, Chile, Ghana and Nigeria in the hope of being signed in the league that has attracted many African players.Shipanga, a former Blue Waters player, last played for Bidvest Wits in the South African first division (Mvela Golden League), while Hindjou was lately one of the assistant coaches and former player at Namibian premiership champions, Civics.Hindjou, now at age 27, aspires to make a comeback to the national team fold, but has not played since 2003 and hopes that by joining a professional club such as Sabh, he might be included in the team again, according to April.”He is one of the finest midfielders in recent times of Namibian football and it will be a bonus for him to be given a chance, provided he proves himself at his new club.”Shipanga played for Namibia during this year’s Cosafa Castle Cup, but failed to impress, but April thinks that he is a quality player who can pick up his game again.Kaimbi, who was possibly the youngest player at Ramblers at the age of 20, has now joined his Namibian counterparts such as national team goalkeeper Zico Paulus, former Blue Waters forward Wycliff Kambonde, ex Black Africa and Orlando Pirates frontman Saul Coetzee and Sidney Plaatjies, also from Blue Waters.The general manager of Cosmos, Kwezi Mazondo, told The Namibian Sport yesterday that Kaimbi is “very quick, has vision and is a strong player”.”We are grateful at Cosmos to have a player like him because he has a lot of potential to develop into one of the deadliest strikers in this league,” he said.Mazondo also had words of praise for April, who he thinks has done a great job in finding professional clubs for the many talented Namibian footballers.”He is a professional and we like the job that he has done to the players from Namibia,” he said.Namibia also has several other players in the South African league, with Black Leopards having singed striker Costa Khaiseb, (former Ramblers/Civics), goalie Athiel Mbaha (former Blue Waters), goalie Ephraim Tjihonge and defender Hartman Toromba (both former Black Africa).At Moroka Swallows, also a PSL club, defenders Mohammed Ouseb and George Hummel and former Ramblers hitman and Brave Warriors captain Henrico Botes form the trio from Namibia.Warriors midfielder Robert Nauseb plays for Santos, also in the PSL, while former Orlando Pirates defender Richard Gariseb turns out for Bidvest Wits in the same league.Former Civics goalkeeper Danzyl Bruwer plays for Bay United in the Mvela Golden League, while ex-Ramblers striker, Partick M’kotwana is in the books of City Pillars, also in the same league.