Namibia to host three teams in Under-17 tourney

The biennial Four Nations Under-17 tournament held during the Easter weekend at the coast returns this year with hosts Namibia up against South Africa, Ghana and the regular visitors, Westphalia. The four-nation tournament will be held from April 18 to 21 at the Swakopmund Sports Complex. According to the tournament director, Roger Kambatuku, the gathering is aimed at exposing the teenagers to international football. “This tournament is held… by Namibia every two years and we do invite countries to come and be with us and Westphalia,” he said. “This time we have Ghana and South Africa coming and it will be a great chance for our new crop of under-17 boys to test themselves against the best [from these] three [teams]. It is not really about winning but the exposure and experience for the boys…,” Kambatuku said. The tournament is organised by the Ministry of Sport in conjunction with the Namibia Football Association (NFA) as part of the Namibia-Germany bilateral sports agreement. The year after Namibia hosts this tournament, the national under-17 team travels to Westphalia, Germany, for three weeks of international youth competitions. Namibia’s team manager, Jakes Amaning, said the team will be trimmed today as they have more than 30 players in camp. “We… will reduce the team to just over 20 players. We have the best [visiting] players… and with Ghana’s pedigree at international youth football, we are looking forward to an interesting tournament indeed,” Amaning stated. The Namibian team was selected last year during the inaugural Skorpion Zinc U-17 Cup at Keetmanshoop and the team is coached by Turipamue Upi. A number of players have nurtured their football talents through this project, such as Terdius Uiseb, McBride Ndjavera, Innocent Tembo,Salom Pamp, Larry Horaeb, Sadney Urikhob , Petrus Shitembi,’ Eslin Kamuhanga, Benson Shilongo and Enrico Hoebeb, among others.