A new dawn for the Brave Warriors

Following the disappointment of missing out on the 2026 Fifa World Cup, the Brave Warriors have now entered a restructuring phase as they prepare to take on Kuwait at next month’s Fifa Friendly series in Kazakhstan.

More than 10 new players have been called up to the local-based squad which is already hard at work, preparing for the four-nation tournament.

In the opening round of matches on 25 March, Namibia take on Kuwait, while Kazakhstan take on Comoros.

The winners will play each other in the final on 30 March, while the losers will play off in the bronze medal match.

At yesterday’s training session, national coach Collin Benjamin said they are in a rebuilding phase as they try and integrate new players into the squad.

“This is a new restructuring phase and as you know all beginnings are not easy. We’ve brought in a lot of new players and we are going to try and relieve some of the older players so that the newcomers can take their place,” he said. “But at the same time, you also need some of the older ones around so that they can learn and gain experience, so we have to try and get the balance right.

“It’s obviously important for us to win and go as far as we can because there’s going to be an overall winner and a runner-up and if we accumulate Fifa points and get a good standing, we will be part of the next Fifa series against teams from other confederations,” he added.

Benjamin said they are starting anew.

“We have a new inexperienced squad and we are basically starting from scratch. Some of them haven’t played international soccer so we have to be patient with them and keep on working. We tried explaining our playing philosophy to them and now we are trying to implement it on the field,” he said.

“There are still a few hiccups, but we started training early so we have the time to rectify the mistakes,” he added.

All four competing teams are ranked quite close to each other with Comoros at 106, Kazakhstan at 114, Namibia at 118 and Kuwait at 135 in the world.

Benjamin said he expects a tough challenge from Kuwait.

“They are a good side – they played at the Arab Cup at the end of last year where they beat Mauritania and drew against Egypt. They’ve got a good, aggressive style of play and I think that’s something that we need to prepare for.

“We dont have the resources so its very important to have these competitive games against other opposition, for our boys to learn, but also for us as coaches to learn,” he said.

Benjamin said he will later call up foreign-based players to strengthen the squad, but added that they would need to prove their worth to the team.

“On paper they are international players, but we still have to see – we’re not just going to call them up because they are playing outside – each case is different and we have to decide if we need somebody in that position, and if that person that is called up will add value. In the end it’s about the team, how we can help the team, and what can that player bring to the team,” he said.

Two of the recent newcomers, who both made their international debuts against Comoros last year, Bernand Horaseb and Stoffel Witbeen were both excited to be part of the squad.

“The camp is great, there’s so much love and support. It’s much more work now, it’s not like at club level, its asking more from you so you just have to work hard and pray you get an opportunity,” Horaseb said.

“You just have to show the coach that you are willing to do what he wants you to do and work hard, but overall it’s a great feeling to be in this environment with all these guys,” he added.

“Id like to thank the Almighty for giving me this opportunity – it’s really a good feeling to be here, the spirit is good and the way we are training is really good,” Witbeen said.

“I think we can do well because the spirit is very high, the tempo and the intensity, everything is high, so we can do it. If I get my opportunity I’ll show what I can do,” he added.

Witbeen, in fact, scored a stunning solo goal for his club, Okahandja United, in a 3-1 win against Bucks Buccaneers over the weekend and said everything just came together.

“That was a really good goal because I was really composed, and the final decision was the right one.”

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