Hummel quits Warriors

BRAVE Warriors defender George Hummel has announced his retirement from international football because he wants to make way for a younger generation of players.

Hummel, 30, told The Namibian Sport in an exclusive interview yesterday that he decided to call it quits after realising that Namibia has a lot of potential players who can taken over his position as a central defender. Hummel was not considered for selection ahead of Namibia’s African Nations Cup qualifier against Libya in Windhoek on Saturday.”I have taken a decision to make way for my fellow younger countrymen to go out there and represent their country with pride as I did over more than ten years with the national team.”Hummel has gained 49 caps in total with the Warriors and has scored four goals.He plays for Moroka Swallows in South Africa and is expected to sign a two-year deal with that club after an offer was made to him.Hummel played his last international match against Zambia in a friendly at the Sam Nujoma Stadium last Saturday.He could have played in his 50th match at the weekend, but he decided to leave the team instead.Asked if he was quitting because of the poor communication he has with one of the assistant coaches, Ronnie Kanalelo, Hummel said he took the decision on different grounds.”I don’t have any personal problem with Kanalelo and he did also not make me jump the ship.I did this myself and I informed the technical team accordingly.I do not regret taking this step, all I am hoping for is that our team will go from strength to strength,” he said.Kanalelo has been accused by several players of having an authoritarian approach towards the players and not being open for suggestions, especially from senior players.Hummel said Kanalelo has a lot of influence on the team and plays a major role in the selection of the team.He said Ben Bamfuchile was a good coach and has a great vision for the team in the future, “but he needs to put down his foot as the head coach and should not allow too much interference from his assistant in picking a team”.”Seriously, I have a lot of respect for Ben, but I think the role of Kanalelo should be limited to what he knows best.That is of being in charge of the goalkeepers.I also respect him as a coach, but I think he should be considerate enough to give the coach the opportunity to do what he wants with the team,” said Hummel about his former Warriors team-mate.He said the other assistant coach, Brian Isaacks, knows how to deal with players and has gained a lot of respect for that reason.Kanalelo was busy training with the Warriors and could not be reached for comment.But Namibia Football Association (NFA) acting secretary general Barry Rukoro said he does not want to discuss the issue.He said: “I don’t want to entertain that issue because it will be a matter of questioning the credibility of the head coach.I have worked with (Ronnie) Kanalelo and he is an emotional person.He speaks his mind, but I don’t think this can influence the coach when he (Bamfuchile) has to make a final decision,” he said.Kanalelo is possibly the most successful goalkeeper that the country has ever produced, as he played professional football for South African premiership giants Mamelodi Sundowns for close to a decade, while he was also part of the Namibian side to the African Nations Cup in Burkina Faso in 1998.He has also coached Black Africa, his former club, after retiring from professional football two seasons ago, before he became part of the Warriors technical team.His main duties are to sharpen the skills of the goalkeepers in the national side.Hummel was not considered for selection ahead of Namibia’s African Nations Cup qualifier against Libya in Windhoek on Saturday.”I have taken a decision to make way for my fellow younger countrymen to go out there and represent their country with pride as I did over more than ten years with the national team.”Hummel has gained 49 caps in total with the Warriors and has scored four goals.He plays for Moroka Swallows in South Africa and is expected to sign a two-year deal with that club after an offer was made to him.Hummel played his last international match against Zambia in a friendly at the Sam Nujoma Stadium last Saturday.He could have played in his 50th match at the weekend, but he decided to leave the team instead.Asked if he was quitting because of the poor communication he has with one of the assistant coaches, Ronnie Kanalelo, Hummel said he took the decision on different grounds.”I don’t have any personal problem with Kanalelo and he did also not make me jump the ship.I did this myself and I informed the technical team accordingly.I do not regret taking this step, all I am hoping for is that our team will go from strength to strength,” he said.Kanalelo has been accused by several players of having an authoritarian approach towards the players and not being open for suggestions, especially from senior players.Hummel said Kanalelo has a lot of influence on the team and plays a major role in the selection of the team.He said Ben Bamfuchile was a good coach and has a great vision for the team in the future, “but he needs to put down his foot as the head coach and should not allow too much interference from his assistant in picking a team”.”Seriously, I have a lot of respect for Ben, but I think the role of Kanalelo should be limited to what he knows best.That is of being in charge of the goalkeepers.I also respect him as a coach, but I think he should be considerate enough to give the coach the opportunity to do what he wants with the team,” said Hummel about his former Warriors team-mate.He said the other assistant coach, Brian Isaacks, knows how to deal with players and has gained a lot of respect for that reason.Kanalelo was busy training with the Warriors and could not be reached for comment.But Namibia Football Association (NFA) acting secretary general Barry Rukoro said he does not want to discuss the issue.He said: “I don’t want to entertain that issue because it will be a matter of questioning the credibility of the head coach.I have worked with (Ronnie) Kanalelo and he is an emotional person.He speaks his mind, but I don’t think this can influence the coach when he (Bamfuchile) has to make a final decision,” he said.Kanalelo is possibly the most successful goalkeeper that the country has ever produced, as he played professional football for South African premiership giants Mamelodi Sundowns for close to a decade, while he was also part of the Namibian side to the African Nations Cup in Burkina Faso in 1998.He has also coached Black Africa, his former club, after retiring from professional football two seasons ago, before he became part of the Warriors technical team.His main duties are to sharpen the skills of the goalkeepers in the national side.