Players are sharp: Saintfiet

NEW Brave Warriors coach Tom Saintfiet has expressed delight with the fitness level of the players in camp and is eager to see the team in action when they meet Comoros Islands in the Cosafa Senior Challenge Cup on Sunday.

Saintfiet said he does not see a huge problem with their fitness and expects them to be in top gear when the tournaments kicks off in Mpumalanga this Saturday. “I am happy with the way they’ve demonstrated their abilities and I am certain that they can go into these matches better prepared.We will see in the situations in which we will find ourselves at the tournament and will try to adapt to that.”But for now, the players look sharp and I am generally happy with their physical condition,” he told The Namibian Sport at training yesterday.Namibia is in Group B with Comoros Islands, Malawi and Lesotho.The winner meets South Africa on July 26.Saintfiet, the youngest ever foreign coach in Namibia at age 35, believes that the current players can make it to the next stage, considering the fact that most have been active in the domestic league which ended last weekend.Yesterday, South African-based players George Hummel, Costa Khaiseb, Lazarus Kaimbi, Abisai Shiningayamwe, Rudi Louw, Freedom Puriza and Maleagi Ngarizemo all reported for training.Absent were strikers Muna Katupose, Pinehas Jacob and Oliver Risser.Katupose has been called up for duty with the under-20 side, while Jacobs and Risser are out with injury.The final 20 players were due to be named late yesterday.Other countries in Group A at the competition are hosts South Africa, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Mozambique.”I am happy with the way they’ve demonstrated their abilities and I am certain that they can go into these matches better prepared.We will see in the situations in which we will find ourselves at the tournament and will try to adapt to that.”But for now, the players look sharp and I am generally happy with their physical condition,” he told The Namibian Sport at training yesterday.Namibia is in Group B with Comoros Islands, Malawi and Lesotho.The winner meets South Africa on July 26.Saintfiet, the youngest ever foreign coach in Namibia at age 35, believes that the current players can make it to the next stage, considering the fact that most have been active in the domestic league which ended last weekend.Yesterday, South African-based players George Hummel, Costa Khaiseb, Lazarus Kaimbi, Abisai Shiningayamwe, Rudi Louw, Freedom Puriza and Maleagi Ngarizemo all reported for training.Absent were strikers Muna Katupose, Pinehas Jacob and Oliver Risser.Katupose has been called up for duty with the under-20 side, while Jacobs and Risser are out with injury.The final 20 players were due to be named late yesterday.Other countries in Group A at the competition are hosts South Africa, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Mozambique.