Kanalelo speaks out

BRAVE Warriors assistant coach, Ronnie Kanalelo says Namibia has capable coaches who can lead the national football team.

Kanalelo told The Namibian Sport in an interview yesterday that although he has to respect the wishes of the Namibia Football Association executive committee members for appointing a foreign coach this week, he still believes that the Namibian coaches can do the job. Kanalelo and Brian Isaacs were assistant coaches to the sacked Arie Schans, and their fate is also not known when the new coach, Belgian-born, Tom Saintfiet takes over from next week.Kanalelo said: “If they (NFA) believe in appointing a foreigner and if they believe the decision will have a positive impact on the football in the country, I will respect that.But the bottom line is, Namibia surely has good coaches who can take charge of the national team.”He said he will take the opportunity to work with the new coach if given the chance and will support his ideas as long as they are beneficial to the good performance of the team.He said over the years, Namibian coaches have attended numerous courses to better their coaching knowledge and it will be good if they are given the jobs at the highest level to test their mettle.Kanalelo also doubles up as the technical director of premiership club Eleven Arrows and formerly played for them, Blue Waters and Black Africa.He is also a former Brave Warriors and Mamelodi Sundowns goalminder and attended coaching courses in Germany and South Africa.He also coached Black Africa for a season before he was called to assist the late Brave Warriors coach, Ben Bamfuchile, on national level.Kanalelo said if not given the assistant coach role at the Warriors by the new coach, he will concentrate on Arrows, but was willing to help at other national levels of football in the country.Saintfiet has been given the discretion of choosing his own assistant coaches, but it is not clear if he will continue with Kanalelo and Isaacs.He is also not allowed to bring in assistants from outside Namibia, due to the precarious financial situation that could be as a result of shoddy planning by the NFA.Kanalelo and Brian Isaacs were assistant coaches to the sacked Arie Schans, and their fate is also not known when the new coach, Belgian-born, Tom Saintfiet takes over from next week.Kanalelo said: “If they (NFA) believe in appointing a foreigner and if they believe the decision will have a positive impact on the football in the country, I will respect that.But the bottom line is, Namibia surely has good coaches who can take charge of the national team.”He said he will take the opportunity to work with the new coach if given the chance and will support his ideas as long as they are beneficial to the good performance of the team.He said over the years, Namibian coaches have attended numerous courses to better their coaching knowledge and it will be good if they are given the jobs at the highest level to test their mettle.Kanalelo also doubles up as the technical director of premiership club Eleven Arrows and formerly played for them, Blue Waters and Black Africa.He is also a former Brave Warriors and Mamelodi Sundowns goalminder and attended coaching courses in Germany and South Africa.He also coached Black Africa for a season before he was called to assist the late Brave Warriors coach, Ben Bamfuchile, on national level.Kanalelo said if not given the assistant coach role at the Warriors by the new coach, he will concentrate on Arrows, but was willing to help at other national levels of football in the country.Saintfiet has been given the discretion of choosing his own assistant coaches, but it is not clear if he will continue with Kanalelo and Isaacs.He is also not allowed to bring in assistants from outside Namibia, due to the precarious financial situation that could be as a result of shoddy planning by the NFA.