Preparations for the Nedbank Namibian Newspaper Cup has been going smoothly for the //Kharas region, despite a change in leadership.
The executive team for the region’s football squad expires every four years, and elections have delayed the commencement of trials and training.
“There were a few problems within the region in terms of a change of the executive. So, I started finalising the team late. We were held up in the elections.
“We eventually got two streams of trials, because we compete in the coastal and inland streams. When the midterms started, we trimmed the team to 20 players, and now we have our squad,” //Kharas football team coach Collen Gusha says.
He says preparations for the tournament have been going well.
“We are quite happy with the set of things. We’ve been playing some friendlies against clubs in the first and second division. They’ve been giving us good games. We are in good shape indeed,” Gusha says.
The //Kharas region has always been a tournament favourite, but only won their first Nedbank Namibian Newspaper Cup gold medal in 2019 in the Hardap region.
Gusha says pressure is good, but can cause trouble if not managed.
“The boys understand what is expected of them, and we felt the pressure issue, but we do not get carried away in terms of getting anxious about the pressure that is set.
“And we made examples of the past teams that went to participate with pressure,” he says.
The //Kharas region kicks off against host region Omaheke on Friday.
Stay informed with The Namibian – your source for credible journalism. Get in-depth reporting and opinions for
only N$85 a month. Invest in journalism, invest in democracy –
Subscribe Now!
