Plaatjies ditches Warriors

BRAVE Warriors left winger Sidney Plaatjies says he will not be eligible for selection to the national team anymore, after he was left on the bench in Namibia’s African Nations Cup qualifier against Libya recently.

The South African-based forward told The Namibian Sport in an interview that he will not do national team duty anymore, even if coach Ben Bamfuchile calls him up to do so. “I am not going to play for the national team anymore.I was not happy with the way in which the coach handled the whole thing of leaving me on the bench.He did not come to me and talk to me as a professional.If a coach leaves a player on the bench, it should be for the right reasons, but in Libya’s case, I was not told why I did not start the match,” said Plaatjies.Plaatjies (26), who was speaking from his club Jomo Cosmos in South Africa, continued saying that although he has a lot of respect for Bamfuchile, he felt disappointed that he was not part of the team.”One works hard to be included in the national teams, even before international matches.But not being picked for the team is really painful and frustrating.I did not expect to be on the bench as all the other professionals were in the starting line-up.I was the only foreign-based player who was left out.This was really sad and I don’t think the coach was fair,” he said.Plaatjies, who is employed as a left midfielder at Cosmos, said he thought Bamfuchile would call him aside and explain the reasons why he was not in the team.”The coach said nothing before the game and this has left me embittered the whole game.I am not going to be available anymore,” he said.Yesterday, Bamfuchile reacted that Plaatjies was left on the bench for tactical reasons.”I am very disappointed by his announcement that he will not be available anymore.I would want him in the team and I will still call him up,” he said.Bamfuchile said Plaatjies was a quality player, but in Libya, he was left on the bench as the team was playing a different system of five midfielders, which nullified the role of Plaatjies on the wing.”It was merely for tactical reasons and there was nothing against the player.He is a good player and I have always called him up and played him in most of the matches.Now that I left him out for only one match, he complains.I am very disappointed in the young man,” said the Zambian-born coach.He said national team players are never happy if they are left on the bench.”Players should understand that this is top-level football and they should accept the decisions that are being made for the success of the team.If they don’t accept the decisions that are made by the coach, they make my job difficult.They just need to understand that in football sometimes you will be left on the bench for tactical reasons.Simple as that,” he said.Plaatjies has so far played nine matches for the Warriors and has two goals to his credit.He first made his debut in 2002 under former Brave Warriors and Kaizer Chiefs coach Ted Dumitru.He played for Namibia’s junior teams from the under-19 to under-23 level and at some stage also went for trials in Germany and Portugal, which did not prove successful.Before joining Cosmos last season, he tried his luck at Mvela Golden League side Bidvest Wits University in South Africa.He is currently one of the key players for Cosmos, but was recently dropped to the reserve team after he was suspended.His suspension is over and he is now back with the senior team.Plaatjies played for Swakopmund-based lower division sides Refugees and United Stars before joining premiership giants Blue Waters, who are currently struggling in the domestic league.The left-footed player was born in Mariental and attended the Swakopmund Secondary School.”I am not going to play for the national team anymore.I was not happy with the way in which the coach handled the whole thing of leaving me on the bench.He did not come to me and talk to me as a professional.If a coach leaves a player on the bench, it should be for the right reasons, but in Libya’s case, I was not told why I did not start the match,” said Plaatjies.Plaatjies (26), who was speaking from his club Jomo Cosmos in South Africa, continued saying that although he has a lot of respect for Bamfuchile, he felt disappointed that he was not part of the team.”One works hard to be included in the national teams, even before international matches.But not being picked for the team is really painful and frustrating.I did not expect to be on the bench as all the other professionals were in the starting line-up.I was the only foreign-based player who was left out.This was really sad and I don’t think the coach was fair,” he said.Plaatjies, who is employed as a left midfielder at Cosmos, said he thought Bamfuchile would call him aside and explain the reasons why he was not in the team.”The coach said nothing before the game and this has left me embittered the whole game.I am not going to be available anymore,” he said.Yesterday, Bamfuchile reacted that Plaatjies was left on the bench for tactical reasons.”I am very disappointed by his announcement that he will not be available anymore.I would want him in the team and I will still call him up,” he said.Bamfuchile said Plaatjies was a quality player, but in Libya, he was left on the bench as the team was playing a different system of five midfielders, which nullified the role of Plaatjies on the wing.”It was merely for tactical reasons and there was nothing against the player.He is a good player and I have always called him up and played him in most of the matches.Now that I left him out for only one match, he complains.I am very disappointed in the young man,” said the Zambian-born coach.He said national team players are never happy if they are left on the bench.”Players should understand that this is top-level football and they should accept the decisions that are being made for the success of the team.If they don’t accept the decisions that are made by the coach, they make my job difficult.They just need to understand that in football sometimes you will be left on the bench for tactical reasons.Simple as that,” he said.Plaatjies has so far played nine matches for the Warriors and has two goals to his credit.He first made his debut in 2002 under former Brave Warriors and Kaizer Chiefs coach Ted Dumitru.He played for Namibia’s junior teams from the under-19 to under-23 level and at some stage also went for trials in Germany and Portugal, which did not prove successful.Before joining Cosmos last season, he tried his luck at Mvela Golden League side Bidvest Wits University in South Africa.He is currently one of the key players for Cosmos, but was recently dropped to the reserve team after he was suspended.His suspension is over and he is now back with the senior team.Plaatjies played for Swakopmund-based lower division sides Refugees and United Stars before joining premiership giants Blue Waters, who are currently struggling in the domestic league.The left-footed player was born in Mariental and attended the Swakopmund Secondary School.