I will not be bought out - Mannetti
After a successful African Nations Championship (CHAN), there is no doubt that foreign clubs will be knocking on national team coach Ricardo Mannetti's door.
31 January 2018 | Sports
Namibia senior national team coach Ricardo Mannetti has sworn to stay committed to the Brave Warriors even if tempting offers from foreign clubs come his way.
This is after rumours surfaced that various clubs outside Namibia have a keen interest in the 42-year-old coach.
“It is simple: I am a Namibian and my loyalty to Namibia does not have a price.
“I will feel like I have betrayed my people if I was to move to another team just after such a competition.
“No clubs have physically approached me yet, but I have heard about the rumours too,” Mannetti said.
The coach proved his tactical abilities during the CHAN competition after Namibia managed to keep some of Africa's top football nations at bay.
In the early matches, Mannetti's charges played a recognisable underdog tactic which saw his side doing much of the defending and playing on the counter-attack.
Mannetti also proved his versatility in tactics in the last game of their group against Zambia when his players applied devastating attacking football.
Against Morocco, the Namibian side employed more of a mixed tactics approach, which made it difficult for the host nation to dominate the Brave Warriors.
Morocco had been scoring plenty of goals before meeting a tactically disciplined Namibian side which only lost 2-0 in the quarterfinals.
Mannetti believes his tactics and player selection are still an unfinished project which needs to be perfected before any successor is to take over.
“I can tell you now that it will have to be something beyond the ordinary which can change my mind about this team.
“I personally believe that I still have a year and a half before I can actually even come up with any thought of leaving on my mind.
“For now, my biggest wish is to take this team to the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations.”
Mannetti was appointed as national team coach in June 2013, replacing Swedish national Rodger Palmgren.
Two years later, Mannetti became the first national team coach to lift the Cosafa Castle Cup in South Africa after his team defeated Mozambique 2-0 in the final match of the competition.
In 2016, Mannetti led the nation to the Cosafa Cup plate finals were they only managed to win the plate section on home soil.
Last year, the team lost 1-0 to host South Africa in the plate final of the tournament.
His latest success was leading the team to the 2018 Africa Nation Championships quarterfinals.
JESSE JACKSON KAURAISA
This is after rumours surfaced that various clubs outside Namibia have a keen interest in the 42-year-old coach.
“It is simple: I am a Namibian and my loyalty to Namibia does not have a price.
“I will feel like I have betrayed my people if I was to move to another team just after such a competition.
“No clubs have physically approached me yet, but I have heard about the rumours too,” Mannetti said.
The coach proved his tactical abilities during the CHAN competition after Namibia managed to keep some of Africa's top football nations at bay.
In the early matches, Mannetti's charges played a recognisable underdog tactic which saw his side doing much of the defending and playing on the counter-attack.
Mannetti also proved his versatility in tactics in the last game of their group against Zambia when his players applied devastating attacking football.
Against Morocco, the Namibian side employed more of a mixed tactics approach, which made it difficult for the host nation to dominate the Brave Warriors.
Morocco had been scoring plenty of goals before meeting a tactically disciplined Namibian side which only lost 2-0 in the quarterfinals.
Mannetti believes his tactics and player selection are still an unfinished project which needs to be perfected before any successor is to take over.
“I can tell you now that it will have to be something beyond the ordinary which can change my mind about this team.
“I personally believe that I still have a year and a half before I can actually even come up with any thought of leaving on my mind.
“For now, my biggest wish is to take this team to the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations.”
Mannetti was appointed as national team coach in June 2013, replacing Swedish national Rodger Palmgren.
Two years later, Mannetti became the first national team coach to lift the Cosafa Castle Cup in South Africa after his team defeated Mozambique 2-0 in the final match of the competition.
In 2016, Mannetti led the nation to the Cosafa Cup plate finals were they only managed to win the plate section on home soil.
Last year, the team lost 1-0 to host South Africa in the plate final of the tournament.
His latest success was leading the team to the 2018 Africa Nation Championships quarterfinals.
JESSE JACKSON KAURAISA
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