Chan-bound Brave Warriors save faceHAD IT not been for the Brave Warriors qualifying for next year’s African Nations Championships, there would possibly still be no top-flight football in the country.
The team, written off as no-hopers to reach a first continental competition on the back of a patchy Cosafa Cup showing in June, qualified for the Chan finals in Morocco lacking competitive game time owing to the lengthy absence of the Namibia Premier League.
Infighting in the shambolic NPL administration resulted in 16 agonising months without top flight football, robbing the majority of players of a livelihood and significantly affecting that of small and medium enterprise service providers.
The neglected first division continues to be in the doldrums with no action in sight for the top flight’s feeder league.
The NPL is still a mess even after electing a new chairman Patrick Kauta who bulldozed the premiership into starting in October, despite opposition from a number of top clubs.
With sponsors unconvinced about the NPL’s governance, the troubled football body used the Brave Warriors as a trump card to strike a N$60 million three-year sponsorship deal.
That Ricardo Mannetti, having already performed something of a miracle in overcoming Zimbabwe and the Comoros to lead Namibia to a third continental tournament, needed all the help he could get was no secret, a feat which saved face for the NPL top brass.
The MTC Premiership’s return has helped Mannetti replenish and beef up his Warriors pool as he showed earlier this week when announcing a youthful 31-member training squad to kick off preparations for Chan.
Whatever the outcome in Morocco, the 42 year-old coach has cemented his legacy as the country’s most successful coach having won the regional Cosafa Cup 2015, the Plate of the same competition last year and qualifying for Chan this year.
That historic Cosafa triumph was Namibia’s first success at international level and has whetted the supporters appetite for more.
BRINGING YOUR A-GAME
Winning Chan at the expense of some of Africa’s bigger football nations is not unfathomable, but getting beyond the group phase where they are up against Ivory Coast, Zambia and Uganda will represent a successful outing.
A pragmatic approach was captain Ronald Ketjijere’s response when quizzed about the team’s ambition.
“To qualify was a tough experience but the association [NFA] made it a bit easier for us as they dug deep into their pockets and organised training camps and matches to help us with fitness,” he said.
“We set the bar for the national team after qualifying. So, we have to manage expectations.
“You always want to bring your A-game. There are no specific goals. You don’t want to put yourself under unnecessary pressure by giving predictions. We will take it one game at a time.
“The plan is to prepare thoroughly and execute the game plan as best as possible on the day,” Ketjijere said.
The core of the team has experience from at least three international tournaments gained at Cosafa which will prove invaluable in Morocco where Mannetti expects the competition to be tough.
He will however have to make do without qualifying hero Muna Katupose, who has a recurring knee problem, and midfield fulcrum Wangu Gome Batista who became ineligible for selection after signing with South African Premiership side Platinum Stars.
That has opened the door for Tura Magic forward Itamunua Keimuine to return, with injury prone winger Benyamin Nenkavu proving his fitness to make the trip to North Africa next week.
The final 23-man squad will be announced closer to the start of the tournament.
VERY GOOD WEAPON
Mannetti believes the Brave Warriors success in Morocco hinges on team harmony, which he will look to strengthen during the upcoming two-weeks camp in Tunisia where they will play at least three warm-up matches.
“Team spirit is the most vital component in any team that wants to achieve something. That’s what pulled us through the qualifiers. The players had character and togetherness.
“This is a team game. We need everyone to buy into the team’s objective and ideals. It’s our way and it works for us.”
Namibia face Ivory Coast on 14 January and Uganda four days later in Marrakech, with their final Group C match against Zambia in Casablanca on 22 January. The top two teams advance to the quarter-finals.
“We need to respect football and our opponents. I’m not a fortune teller but I feel we have a chance of getting out of that group.
“It gives us a very good weapon to be underdogs. It’s comfortable for us as it motivates the players to play above themselves,” he added.
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