Warriors will need young blood
The national football team's future hangs in the balance as far as bringing more young players into the setup is concerned.
JESSE JACKSON KAURAISA
WINDHOEK
Brave Warriors interim coach Bobby Samaria has admitted that they need to bring in more young players into the senior national squad with an eye on the future.
Samaria, who has a crop of players in their late twenties and early thirties, will struggle with a team of ageing players if younger players do not come through the ranks.
Wesley Katjiteo (30), Elmo Kimbundu (27), Emilio Martin (30),Larry Horaeb (28), Hendrik Somaeb (28), Gustav Isaak (31), Panduleni Nekundi (32) and Pat- Navin Uanivi (33) are among some of the local players who are expected to have a few more playing years left in them.
The Brave Warriors international players who are close to or in their thirties include Deon Hotto (28), Chriss Katjiukua (33) and Ananias Gebhardt (33).
Goalkeeper Virgil Vries is 31, but goalkeepers generally play at the highest level until in their forties.
“It is true that we have some players that are ageing and it is a valid point and concern from your side. It is a challenge to have more youth because we know that the younger national teams have not been in action for a while.
“We however do have a couple of players in their mid-twenties who could play for a very long time,” Samaria said.
The young guys
Marcel Papama (24) and Isaskar Gurirab (22) are among the few players that are expected to play longer for the Brave Warriors. Samaria will not be too concerned about the immediate future, though, given that he will need all the experience as far as playing in next year's Chan competition is concerned. Samaria also trusts that the incoming Namibia Football Association technical director will have a role to play in order to inject more young blood into the team.
Mistake to get rid of Amaning and Timo
A source claimed that the NFA should have at least kept former acting technical director Timo Tjongarero and technical team member Jakes Amaning in the football structures.
“Keeping guys like Jakes Amaning and Timo Tjongarero in the national team structures would have been very important.
“These guys worked with many of the young guys and would have played a very important role in grooming the youngsters.
“I also believe like they could have kept a guy like Ricardo Mannetti in the structures in order to have a stable future in the team,” the source said.
WINDHOEK
Brave Warriors interim coach Bobby Samaria has admitted that they need to bring in more young players into the senior national squad with an eye on the future.
Samaria, who has a crop of players in their late twenties and early thirties, will struggle with a team of ageing players if younger players do not come through the ranks.
Wesley Katjiteo (30), Elmo Kimbundu (27), Emilio Martin (30),Larry Horaeb (28), Hendrik Somaeb (28), Gustav Isaak (31), Panduleni Nekundi (32) and Pat- Navin Uanivi (33) are among some of the local players who are expected to have a few more playing years left in them.
The Brave Warriors international players who are close to or in their thirties include Deon Hotto (28), Chriss Katjiukua (33) and Ananias Gebhardt (33).
Goalkeeper Virgil Vries is 31, but goalkeepers generally play at the highest level until in their forties.
“It is true that we have some players that are ageing and it is a valid point and concern from your side. It is a challenge to have more youth because we know that the younger national teams have not been in action for a while.
“We however do have a couple of players in their mid-twenties who could play for a very long time,” Samaria said.
The young guys
Marcel Papama (24) and Isaskar Gurirab (22) are among the few players that are expected to play longer for the Brave Warriors. Samaria will not be too concerned about the immediate future, though, given that he will need all the experience as far as playing in next year's Chan competition is concerned. Samaria also trusts that the incoming Namibia Football Association technical director will have a role to play in order to inject more young blood into the team.
Mistake to get rid of Amaning and Timo
A source claimed that the NFA should have at least kept former acting technical director Timo Tjongarero and technical team member Jakes Amaning in the football structures.
“Keeping guys like Jakes Amaning and Timo Tjongarero in the national team structures would have been very important.
“These guys worked with many of the young guys and would have played a very important role in grooming the youngsters.
“I also believe like they could have kept a guy like Ricardo Mannetti in the structures in order to have a stable future in the team,” the source said.
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