BA join hands with Hoffenheim

By: SHEEFENI NIKODEMUS

NAMIBIA Premiership champions Black Africa yesterday announced that they had entered into a cooperative one-year agreement with German Bundesliga club 1899 Hoffenheim.

According to BA chairman Cassius Moetie, the partnership – devised by Hoffensheim’s director for international relations and scouting Lutz Pfannenstiel and BA idol Sylvester ‘Lolo’ Goraseb – will greatly enhance his club’s ambitions to remain at the forefront of domestic football.
In addition, Moetie said the core purpose of the deal was for the exchange of skills and resources between the two clubs.
“This is a very exciting partnership with Hoffenheim and it will surely take Black Africa further in terms of growth,” said Moetie.
The Germans have already sent their under 23 side on a 10-day visit during which time they will feature in three practice matches against an assortment of Namibian sides.
Tomorrow they face a blended SKW and Ramblers side at Windhoek’s Independence Stadium at 19h00, and on Sunday they play Black Africa at 17h00 at the Sam Nujoma Stadium.
Then on Thursday, February 16 the German reserves will take on a Brave Warriors invitational team at the Independence Stadium from 17h00.
“The main reason for our visit is to prepare for the second part of the season. We are also here to learn about your culture and football. For us it is important for our young players to see things about Namibia and learn to respect foreign culture,” said Hoffenheim’s U/23 team managerThomas Gommimgimger.
Goraseb said: “The visit has a leisure and tourism spin-off as they will also be on a two-day excursion to the coast.”
Part of the agreement will also see the German club scouting for talent in Namibia. The club currently has Ghanaian international defender Isaac Vorsah and former Kaizer Chiefs striker and Zimbabwean international Knowledge Musona on its books.
A third African, Nigerian forward Chinedu Obasi, has been loaned to rivals Schalke 04 for the remainder of the season.
“They are also on a mission to scout for talent,” Moetie said, while the possibility of player transfer from the German top-tier club to BA is unlikely.
“As part of the agreement they have first right of refusal on our players.”
A fifth-division side in 2000, the club made a remarkable advance to the top-flight Bundesliga in 2008 with the financial backing of alumnus and software mogul Dietmar Hopp.
In their debut season, Hoffenheim caused panic among the top division’s powerhouses as they led the first half of the campaign. However injuries to key personnel in the second half of the season meant they could only finish seventh, which is a respectable result for a newly promoted team.
While they have since remained a mid-table team, they are currently placed eighth on the Bundesliga table and looking to be among Germany’s elite for in the near future.

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