Players on edge as Warriors name squad
The Brave Warriors final squad is set to be announced today in preparation for the 2018 African Nations Championship (CHAN) which will be played from January 12 to February 4.
The national football team qualified for the championship for the first time in years after beating Comoros 2-1 at the Sam Nujoma Stadium in Windhoek and they are expected to leave for Morocco in two weeks.
Warriors coach Ricardo Mannetti is tight-lipped about the speculations about the announcement but sources close to Namibian Sun said the nation will know today who will make it to the squad.
With all the speculation of who might and might not make it, the chance of Mannetti sticking with the same team he qualified to Chan with is high. These are the same players with whom he won the Dr Hage Geingob Cup against Zimbabwe.
Due to the league kicking off Mannetti might have other choices to look at. But looking at the time the league started, it is unlikely that he will disrupt the flow of the players this late.
Mannetti had a plan earlier on in the year as he took it upon himself to organise an intensive training programme for the players. He organised a 24-member squad that went through an intensive training programme which was divided in four stages.
The jam-packed football calendar was in preparation for the June 2019 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers, and the COSAFA Cup, hence the players were very unfit due to the inactive league.
At the moment speculation is rife that the 23-man squad will consist of Edward Maova, Lodyt Kazapua, Ferdinand Karongee, Tiberius Lombard, Charles Hambira, Tjiuana-tja Tjinotjiua, Larry Horaeb, Edmund Kambanda, Dynamo Fredericks, Immanuel Heita, Hendrick Somaeb, Petrus Shitembi, Ronald Ketjijere (captain), Denzil Haoseb, Absalom Iimbondi, Roger Katjiteo, Panduleni Nekundi, Christiaan Jakobus, Junias Theophilus, Wangu Gome, Riaan Hanamub, Muna Katupose and Peter Shalulile.
However, Nekundi, Katopuse are doubtful as they picked up injuries while playing for their clubs in the premier league. Nekundi is the leading goal scorer whereas Katupose is very good in the air and secured Namibia the spot at Chan.
Woody Jacobs, Tigers coach, said that he would like to see Willy Stephanus and Gerry Aochumeb in the squad.
“Willy is a quality player who has experience and Aochumeb impresses me every time he players. However, the rest of the team is developing very well together,” he said.
Chan is a competition which gathers exclusively players featuring in the national championships of their respective countries.
Namibia is in Group D with Burkina Faso, Equatorial Guinea, and Mauritania.
Group A: Morocco (host), Angola, Cote d'Ivoire and Libya.
Group B: Cameroon, Guinea, Nigeria and Zambia.
Group C: Congo, Uganda, Rwanda and Sudan.
The tournament will be played in the following cities: Casablanca (Group A), Marrakech (Group B), Tangier (Group C) and Agadir (Group D).
LIMBA MUPETAMI
Warriors coach Ricardo Mannetti is tight-lipped about the speculations about the announcement but sources close to Namibian Sun said the nation will know today who will make it to the squad.
With all the speculation of who might and might not make it, the chance of Mannetti sticking with the same team he qualified to Chan with is high. These are the same players with whom he won the Dr Hage Geingob Cup against Zimbabwe.
Due to the league kicking off Mannetti might have other choices to look at. But looking at the time the league started, it is unlikely that he will disrupt the flow of the players this late.
Mannetti had a plan earlier on in the year as he took it upon himself to organise an intensive training programme for the players. He organised a 24-member squad that went through an intensive training programme which was divided in four stages.
The jam-packed football calendar was in preparation for the June 2019 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers, and the COSAFA Cup, hence the players were very unfit due to the inactive league.
At the moment speculation is rife that the 23-man squad will consist of Edward Maova, Lodyt Kazapua, Ferdinand Karongee, Tiberius Lombard, Charles Hambira, Tjiuana-tja Tjinotjiua, Larry Horaeb, Edmund Kambanda, Dynamo Fredericks, Immanuel Heita, Hendrick Somaeb, Petrus Shitembi, Ronald Ketjijere (captain), Denzil Haoseb, Absalom Iimbondi, Roger Katjiteo, Panduleni Nekundi, Christiaan Jakobus, Junias Theophilus, Wangu Gome, Riaan Hanamub, Muna Katupose and Peter Shalulile.
However, Nekundi, Katopuse are doubtful as they picked up injuries while playing for their clubs in the premier league. Nekundi is the leading goal scorer whereas Katupose is very good in the air and secured Namibia the spot at Chan.
Woody Jacobs, Tigers coach, said that he would like to see Willy Stephanus and Gerry Aochumeb in the squad.
“Willy is a quality player who has experience and Aochumeb impresses me every time he players. However, the rest of the team is developing very well together,” he said.
Chan is a competition which gathers exclusively players featuring in the national championships of their respective countries.
Namibia is in Group D with Burkina Faso, Equatorial Guinea, and Mauritania.
Group A: Morocco (host), Angola, Cote d'Ivoire and Libya.
Group B: Cameroon, Guinea, Nigeria and Zambia.
Group C: Congo, Uganda, Rwanda and Sudan.
The tournament will be played in the following cities: Casablanca (Group A), Marrakech (Group B), Tangier (Group C) and Agadir (Group D).
LIMBA MUPETAMI
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