Trials to pull in new faces

The Namibia Football Association (NFA) women's department will be hosting national trials for the Brave Gladiators as well as the national under-20 Young Gladiators at the NFA Technical Centre from 15 to 16 July. Head coach of the national women teams Jacqui Shipanga explains that the trials are necessary and open to all potential players. She says the Brave Gladiators will need players ahead of the Cosafa Women Championship to be held in Zimbabwe from 13 to 24 September, while the Young Gladiators will play South Africa in September in the 2018 FIFA Women Under-20 World Cup Qualifiers. “Due to inactivity of the Women Super League (WSL) the Gladiators technical team is finding it extremely difficult to identify new talent and boost the senior national team. It is against this background that we will host a national trials day for all players around the country who have the potential to make it to the national team. Individual players from regions will be accommodated at the NFA Girls Centre,” Shipanga said. Selected players will be given an opportunity to be trained by under-20 coach Mervin Mbakera and Bryan van Staden. Shipanga adds that she expects an influx of new blood to challenge for positions in the squad especially with the likes of players such as captain of the under-20 national team, Lydiana Nanamus, holding midfielder Asteria Angula, Julia Rutjindo, Speedy Gonzales and Beverly Uueziua, goalkeeper Melissa Matheus will all be challenging for positions in the senior national team. In 2014 Namibia fielded a 16-year-old Memory Ngonda and Annouscka Kordom against the likes of African powerhouse Nigeria and the duo are now household names in the Gladiators squad and serve as great motivation to the other youngsters coming through. Finally Shipanga urged greater cooperation between the NSSU and NFA in order to ensure that only qualified coaches and teachers are selected to coach for the annual COSSASA Ball games for the under-13 and under-17 national teams that will participate in Lesotho in August and September this year. “We have to make use of our qualified teachers who continuously work with girl's football at regional level especially in the Unicef–sponsored under-13 and under-17 Galz and Goals leagues”.SPORT REPORTER

Trials to pull in new faces

Comments

Namibian Sun 2026-06-04

Please login to leave a comment

Trials to pull in new faces

Comments

Namibian Sun 2026-06-04

Please login to leave a comment

Subscription Required to Access Content ×

Login

Subscription Required to Access Content