Figge to be appointed NFA technical director

A highly experienced German soccer instructor, Jochen Figge, will be appointed as the Namibia Football Association’s new technical director within the next month.

The NFA’s spokesperson Beau Kauta made the announcement at a press conference on Monday, following a meeting with Markus Weidner, the Head of Coaching, Education and Marketing of the German Football Association (DFB) over the weekend. Weidner, who also attended the press conference said that the appointment was in accordance with the memorandum of understanding between the DFB and the NFA and as such, Figge’s salary would be paid by the German Foreign Office.”We will provide the NFA with a very experienced technical director in Figge.He has coached for the past 20 years, mainly in Africa, while he is also a Fifa instructor.We also agreed to hold coaching courses in Germany, while we will delegate coaches to Namibia for courses as well as for referees,” Weidner said.Figge will replace Seth Boois who announced his resignation a few weeks ago.The NFA’s acting secretary general Barry Rukoro said that Boois had informed the NFA more than six months ago about his decision to step down, as was demanded by his contract.Weidner’s visit followed a visit by the president of the DFB, Horst Schmidt to Namibia in November last year when he met and held discussions with his Namibian counterpart John Muinjo.On that occasion the DFB indicated that they would assist the NFA with a technical director in terms of the bilateral memorandum of understanding between the two associations.AN IMPRESSIVE CV Figge started his coaching career with youth players in 1966 and since then has built up an impressive CV.In 1979 he obtained his Professional Coaching Licence and from 1981 he started working as a national coach or technical director with numerous developing countries throughout the world.In Africa, these countries include Guinea, Zambia, Botswana, Ethiopia, Eritrea and Mozambique.Figge has also been honoured for his work, receiving amongst others, a Decoration of Merit from the DFB and the German Olympic Committee.Weidner said that one of Figge’s objectives would be to develop youth and women’s football in Namibia.”The development of women’s football lies close to the heart of the president of the DFB.Figge will evaluate women’s football in Namibia and a complete programme will be set up,” he said.The vice president of the NFA Dr Korbinian Amutenya said that the NFA had decided to appoint two Namibians under Figge.”On March 1 the executive committee of the NFA decided to attach two Namibians to work with Figge in all aspects of his work, so that we will have gained some experience when his contract expires.Rukoro said that Figge would be appointed for a period of two years after which his contract would be reviewed.He said the NFA had received assistance from the Namibian government regarding Figge’s appointment and that he would arrive in Namibia as soon as his paperwork had been sorted out.Rukoro said they still had to appoint Namibians to work with Figge.www.namibiasport.com.naWeidner, who also attended the press conference said that the appointment was in accordance with the memorandum of understanding between the DFB and the NFA and as such, Figge’s salary would be paid by the German Foreign Office.”We will provide the NFA with a very experienced technical director in Figge.He has coached for the past 20 years, mainly in Africa, while he is also a Fifa instructor.We also agreed to hold coaching courses in Germany, while we will delegate coaches to Namibia for courses as well as for referees,” Weidner said.Figge will replace Seth Boois who announced his resignation a few weeks ago.The NFA’s acting secretary general Barry Rukoro said that Boois had informed the NFA more than six months ago about his decision to step down, as was demanded by his contract.Weidner’s visit followed a visit by the president of the DFB, Horst Schmidt to Namibia in November last year when he met and held discussions with his Namibian counterpart John Muinjo.On that occasion the DFB indicated that they would assist the NFA with a technical director in terms of the bilateral memorandum of understanding between the two associations.AN IMPRESSIVE CV Figge started his coaching career with youth players in 1966 and since then has built up an impressive CV.In 1979 he obtained his Professional Coaching Licence and from 1981 he started working as a national coach or technical director with numerous developing countries throughout the world.In Africa, these countries include Guinea, Zambia, Botswana, Ethiopia, Eritrea and Mozambique.Figge has also been honoured for his work, receiving amongst others, a Decoration of Merit from the DFB and the German Olympic Committee.Weidner said that one of Figge’s objectives would be to develop youth and women’s football in Namibia.”The development of women’s football lies close to the heart of the president of the DFB.Figge will evaluate women’s football in Namibia and a complete programme will be set up,” he said.The vice president of the NFA Dr Korbinian Amutenya said that the NFA had decided to appoint two Namibians under Figge.”On March 1 the executive committee of the NFA decided to attach two Namibians to work with Figge in all aspects of his work, so that we will have gained some experience when his contract expires.Rukoro said that Figge would be appointed for a period of two years after which his contract would be reviewed.He said the NFA had received assistance from the Namibian government regarding Figge’s appointment and that he would arrive in Namibia as soon as his paperwork had been sorted out.Rukoro said they still had to appoint Namibians to work with Figge.www.namibiasport.com.na