Benjamin stresses hard work
• Exciting times ahead for Namibia as Afcon looms
With Namibia hoping to qualify for the World Cup and attending Afcon early next year, Collin Benjamin spoke to the Cosafa Show about the past, the present and the future of the Brave Warriors.
Namibian coach Collin Benjamin has emphasised that in order for the Brave Warriors to have any chance of qualifying for the Fifa World Cup, all structures must be in place.
The team will play their Fifa World Cup qualifiers in a group consisting of Equatorial Guinea, São Tomé and Principe, Malawi, Tunisia and Liberia.
The qualifiers will take place over ten match days, starting 13 to 21 November 2023 and concluding 10 to 18 November 2025, when the play-offs are held.
Namibia’s Warriors are set to face Equatorial Guinea and São Tomé on 15 and 21 November in Malabo and Agadir, respectively.
The winners of each of the nine groups will automatically qualify for the World Cup, with the four best runners-up contesting in a play-off tournament for one more spot.
Home matches a must
Benjamin said upon seeing the group they were placed in, he initially thought there was a chance, “but I buried that thought immediately. We need to get the structures right; there is no way you will qualify for the World Cup playing 10 matches away; it’s not possible.”
Namibia lacks Fifa-approved stadiums and plays its home matches in South Africa. Benjamin stated that, on top of the importance of playing at home, the team needs financial resources, and stakeholders need to pull together for that to happen.
Afcon qualifiers
Benjamin said, considering the group they are playing and looking at his team, “I thought the core is still around. Kenya pulled out, and I saw that we had a chance if only two teams go through.
“I thought we can create something unique and should give it a shot. When I look at the team, I see less talent, so more work and hunger are what need to be injected. Knowing that the clubs in South Africa can’t see them at home, the players only have the national team platform. So they need to work hard,” he said.
The coach also spoke about his approach, saying he considers the personalities of players.
“I wasn’t the best player, but I played in Germany. It’s about hunger, hard work and personality. I just try to build and inspire ambition in the team. They need to know that they need to work towards something. We have to become fit; if you are fit, you become aggressive and make life difficult for your opponent."
Turning point
The pivotal moment of qualifying for Afcon, according to him, became evident when they played powerhouse Cameroon.
“Playing in Yaounde, or in general in West Africa, is not easy. Drawing against Cameroon [in the first leg], was a turning point. We were not given a chance... we had the belief, when we got the draw, that’s when we saw that we could do it. When we beat Cameroon, it was huge. That was our ticket to the Afcon.
“We are a mid-table team. For us to beat Cameroon [in the second leg] was huge. We can get there, but the work to stay there should be to stay there. That’s where the work comes in,” Benjamin said.
The Brave Warriors find themselves in Group E against Tunisia (16 January), South Africa (21 January) and Mali (24 January).
The team will play their Fifa World Cup qualifiers in a group consisting of Equatorial Guinea, São Tomé and Principe, Malawi, Tunisia and Liberia.
The qualifiers will take place over ten match days, starting 13 to 21 November 2023 and concluding 10 to 18 November 2025, when the play-offs are held.
Namibia’s Warriors are set to face Equatorial Guinea and São Tomé on 15 and 21 November in Malabo and Agadir, respectively.
The winners of each of the nine groups will automatically qualify for the World Cup, with the four best runners-up contesting in a play-off tournament for one more spot.
Home matches a must
Benjamin said upon seeing the group they were placed in, he initially thought there was a chance, “but I buried that thought immediately. We need to get the structures right; there is no way you will qualify for the World Cup playing 10 matches away; it’s not possible.”
Namibia lacks Fifa-approved stadiums and plays its home matches in South Africa. Benjamin stated that, on top of the importance of playing at home, the team needs financial resources, and stakeholders need to pull together for that to happen.
Afcon qualifiers
Benjamin said, considering the group they are playing and looking at his team, “I thought the core is still around. Kenya pulled out, and I saw that we had a chance if only two teams go through.
“I thought we can create something unique and should give it a shot. When I look at the team, I see less talent, so more work and hunger are what need to be injected. Knowing that the clubs in South Africa can’t see them at home, the players only have the national team platform. So they need to work hard,” he said.
The coach also spoke about his approach, saying he considers the personalities of players.
“I wasn’t the best player, but I played in Germany. It’s about hunger, hard work and personality. I just try to build and inspire ambition in the team. They need to know that they need to work towards something. We have to become fit; if you are fit, you become aggressive and make life difficult for your opponent."
Turning point
The pivotal moment of qualifying for Afcon, according to him, became evident when they played powerhouse Cameroon.
“Playing in Yaounde, or in general in West Africa, is not easy. Drawing against Cameroon [in the first leg], was a turning point. We were not given a chance... we had the belief, when we got the draw, that’s when we saw that we could do it. When we beat Cameroon, it was huge. That was our ticket to the Afcon.
“We are a mid-table team. For us to beat Cameroon [in the second leg] was huge. We can get there, but the work to stay there should be to stay there. That’s where the work comes in,” Benjamin said.
The Brave Warriors find themselves in Group E against Tunisia (16 January), South Africa (21 January) and Mali (24 January).
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