From the Sidelines: Go watch Gladiators

THE Namibian national women’s football team face Zimbabwe in two international friendlies this weekend, and their chances of winning will be boosted by the support base.

The side will play tonight at the SKW Stadium, with their match scheduled for 19h00, while their second encounter is billed for the Unam Fields at 16h00 on Saturday. Namibian football fans generally have a tendency of only going to matches when the Brave Warriors are in action.This time, the Namibian women’s side (also known as the Brave Gladiators) will be playing two home fixtures and support from the fans would be invaluable.The matches are in preparation for their 2008 Olympic Games qualifiers to be determined next month and in March.For some, it should be interesting to see how the team will weigh up against their neighbours after having a successful Cosafa Cup tournament last year, in which they ended as runners-up behind South Africa.Their performance throughout that tournament actually showed that women’s football in Namibia has gone up a level.Gone are the days when they were hammered with 13-0 and 11-0 margins.Most of the players in the side have played together for some time now and much will be expected from them tonight and tomorrow, despite the matches being mere friendlies.The biggest factor for them to put in a good performance will, as I mentioned earlier, be the support they will receive from the fans here at home.In many football-playing nations, national teams are idolised and people turn out at the stadiums in numbers to give their support.In Namibia, sometimes it is just strange how some of these matches are snubbed, even by the ones who live close to the stadiums or in the city for that matter.Although people are scattered all over the country and of course minding the population, I don’t believe that it will be difficult to fill up the SKW to the maximum with the ones that are in town.I don’t complain about the attendance of matches in general, as in recent times, matches were especially well attended from the final of the FNB Cup late last year.The league matches last weekend also drew a considerable number of people in attendance, but the point is that national teams need even more support.People generally go to matches to watch their favourite teams and don’t actually go and watch other teams.For national teams, it is a question of being there, irrespective of who you like or don’t like in the team.The SKW is not necessarily a natural venue for spectators to attend matches.The Katutura Stadium could have been ideal in terms of proximity to many football lovers in that area.On that score, it reflects badly on the City of Windhoek not to make the stadium as attractive as it should be.Why was it constructed in the first place? We hope that the City of Windhoek will firstly look into reducing their tariffs for renting the stadium, while they should also seriously look at levelling the field, because teams have complained of it being too bumpy.Despite that, the women’s team, unlike the Brave Warriors, will offer a different type of football.It will be a bit slower that the normal men’s game, but will be exciting to watch as there is a likelihood of many goals.The girls will be trying to impress their coaches to keep their places in the side as they would want to board the plane to Beijing next year, (provided they qualify) while they would also want to show their followers what they can do best.In fact, the competitiveness in women’s football has increased drastically all over the world, let alone southern Africa, and it will only be up to the girls to do a proper job in their preparations.They need to show that they are serious about qualifying, while the support will be a plus point.Namibian football fans generally have a tendency of only going to matches when the Brave Warriors are in action.This time, the Namibian women’s side (also known as the Brave Gladiators) will be playing two home fixtures and support from the fans would be invaluable.The matches are in preparation for their 2008 Olympic Games qualifiers to be determined next month and in March.For some, it should be interesting to see how the team will weigh up against their neighbours after having a successful Cosafa Cup tournament last year, in which they ended as runners-up behind South Africa.Their performance throughout that tournament actually showed that women’s football in Namibia has gone up a level.Gone are the days when they were hammered with 13-0 and 11-0 margins.Most of the players in the side have played together for some time now and much will be expected from them tonight and tomorrow, despite the matches being mere friendlies.The biggest factor for them to put in a good performance will, as I mentioned earlier, be the support they will receive from the fans here at home.In many football-playing nations, national teams are idolised and people turn out at the stadiums in numbers to give their support.In Namibia, sometimes it is just strange how some of these matches are snubbed, even by the ones who live close to the stadiums or in the city for that matter.Although people are scattered all over the country and of course minding the population, I don’t believe that it will be difficult to fill up the SKW to the maximum with the ones that are in town.I don’t complain about the attendance of matches in general, as in recent times, matches were especially well attended from the final of the FNB Cup late last year.The league matches last weekend also drew a considerable number of people in attendance, but the point is that national teams need even more support.People generally go to matches to watch their favourite teams and don’t actually go and watch other teams.For national teams, it is a question of being there, irrespective of who you like or don’t like in the team.The SKW is not necessarily a natural venue for spectators to attend matches.The Katutura Stadium could have been ideal in terms of proximity to many football lovers in that area.On that score, it reflects badly on the City of Windhoek not to make the stadium as attractive as it should be.Why was it constructed in the first place? We hope that the City of Windhoek will firstly look into reducing their tariffs for renting the stadium, while they should also seriously look at levelling the field, because teams have complained of it being too bumpy.Despite that, the women’s team, unlike the Brave Warriors, will offer a different type of football.It will be a bit slower that the normal men’s game, but will be exciting to watch as there is a likelihood of many goals.The girls will be trying to impress their coaches to keep their places in the side as they would want to board the plane to Beijing next year, (provided they qualify) while they would also want to show their followers what they can do best.In fact, the competitiveness in women’s football has increased drastically all over the world, let alone southern Africa, and it will only be up to the girls to do a proper job in their preparations.They need to show that they are serious about qualifying, while the support will be a plus point.