President’s XI prepares for Cosafa Castle Cup

THE President’s XI, from which a Brave Warriors side will be selected to compete in the Cosafa Castle Cup in July, was named yesterday and will head to Oshakati on Sunday for a training camp.

Most of the 28 players were part of the first group that was announced about two weeks ago and will be expected to train at Oshakati’s Independence Stadium, while they will also play in several friendly matches to keep them in shape. The training camp in Oshakati will end on March 24.The training camp is part of the drive by the Namibia Football Association to get a formidable side for the Cosafa Cup in July, before the team takes on much stronger opposition in their quest to qualify for the African Nations Cup in September.Team Manager Markus Damaseb yesterday announced that the side would play against Oshakati City, a Namibia Premier League (NPL) side, during their stay in the North.According to Damaseb, the team will also play against the Shadow Team that will be selected during The Namibian Newspaper Cup over the Easter weekend.The annual Newspaper Cup tournament will be held at Walvis Bay between April 14 and 17 and by that time, a new national coach should be in place to lead the President’s Eleven.The NFA is currently interviewing candidates after receiving 15 applications from local and international coaches.The Brave Warriors have been inactive since April last year.The players who were in camp last week have been released to train with their clubs in the meantime, as some will be involved in the second-round matches of the MTC Cup competition on Friday.Damaseb said the 28-member squad going to Oshakati will be trimmed to 20 players who will then have another training camp in Walvis Bay from April 9 to 17.He said Namibia’s foreign-based players would be added to the 20 local players who will then play either Botswana or Zambia in friendly matches ahead of the Cosafa Cup clash against the Seychelles on July 22.After the games against either Botswana or Zambia, the final selection will be made and the official national team to form the Brave Warriors will be announced, Damaseb said.The notable additions to the team are Civics midfielders Brian Brendell, Rudi Louw and Heinrich Isaacs, who were on duty for their club in Angola in the CAF Champions League.An overdue inclusion is African Stars defensive hardman Andrew Tjahikika, who got his first call to the senior side, while Black Africa’s defender Moses Katjiteo has also received the nod.A surprise inclusion is Touch & Go midfielder Percy Khairabeb, who has been responsible for crucial goals for his side that has made its entry back into the premiership this season.Goalkeepers Esau Tjiuoro of Ramblers and Black Africa’s Arnold Subeb will also be part of the team and will have to compete for places against Ephraim Tjihonge, also of BA, and Athiel Mbaha of Blue Waters.The goalkeeping department has proved solid for the side so far, as they have only conceded one goal in the two friendly matches they have played.The midfield has the experience of Black Africa’s Lolo Goraseb, Brian Brendell, who has been superb for Civics with his long runs on the flanks, and Johannes Auala from Blue Waters.The selectors only opted for five strikers, instead settling for 10 midfielders, while the defenders will be nine in total.Black Africa has seven players in the side, followed by Blue Waters and Ramblers who have four each, while Civics and African Stars have three each.Tigers, Orlando Pirates and Chief Santos have two players each, while Touch & Go boast with one player.The President’s XI is: Goalkeepers: Esau Tjiuoro (Black Africa), Ephraim Tjihonge (BA), Athiel Mbaha (Blue Waters) and Arnold Subeb (BA).Defenders: Hartman Toromba (BA), Nelson Geingob (Santos), Michael Pienaar (Ramblers), Ivan Namaseb (Pirates), Gotlieb Nakuta (Blue Waters), Jeremia Mbaisako (Tigers), Garry Keister (BA), Moses Katjiteo (BA) and Andrew Tjahikika (African Stars) Midfielders: Freedom Puriza (African Stars), Victor Helu (Ramblers), Brian Gurirab (Chief Santos), Tjono Jagger (BA), Lolo Goraseb (BA), Riaan Cloete (Pirates), Johannes Auala (Blue Waters), Rudi Louw (Civics), Percy Khairabeb (Touch & Go) and Brian Brendell (Civics).Strikers: Johannes Seibeb (Stars), Nelson Akwenye (Tigers), Meraai Swartbooi (Blue Waters), Lazarus Kaimbi (Ramblers) and Heini Isaacs (Civics).Technical Team: Coach – Brian Isaacs, Assistant Coach – Dawid Snewe, Team Manager – Markus Damaseb, Kid Manager – Jeffrey Werner, Medic – Donatha Gawanab.The training camp in Oshakati will end on March 24.The training camp is part of the drive by the Namibia Football Association to get a formidable side for the Cosafa Cup in July, before the team takes on much stronger opposition in their quest to qualify for the African Nations Cup in September.Team Manager Markus Damaseb yesterday announced that the side would play against Oshakati City, a Namibia Premier League (NPL) side, during their stay in the North.According to Damaseb, the team will also play against the Shadow Team that will be selected during The Namibian Newspaper Cup over the Easter weekend.The annual Newspaper Cup tournament will be held at Walvis Bay between April 14 and 17 and by that time, a new national coach should be in place to lead the President’s Eleven.The NFA is currently interviewing candidates after receiving 15 applications from local and international coaches.The Brave Warriors have been inactive since April last year.The players who were in camp last week have been released to train with their clubs in the meantime, as some will be involved in the second-round matches of the MTC Cup competition on Friday.Damaseb said the 28-member squad going to Oshakati will be trimmed to 20 players who will then have another training camp in Walvis Bay from April 9 to 17.He said Namibia’s foreign-based players would be added to the 20 local players who will then play either Botswana or Zambia in friendly matches ahead of the Cosafa Cup clash against the Seychelles on July 22.After the games against either Botswana or Zambia, the final selection will be made and the official national team to form the Brave Warriors will be announced, Damaseb said.The notable additions to the team are Civics midfielders Brian Brendell, Rudi Louw and Heinrich Isaacs, who were on duty for their club in Angola in the CAF Champions League.An overdue inclusion is African Stars defensive hardman Andrew Tjahikika, who got his first call to the senior side, while Black Africa’s defender Moses Katjiteo has also received the nod.A surprise inclusion is Touch & Go midfielder Percy Khairabeb, who has been responsible for crucial goals for his side that has made its entry back into the premiership this season.Goalkeepers Esau Tjiuoro of Ramblers and Black Africa’s Arnold Subeb will also be part of the team and will have to compete for places against Ephraim Tjihonge, also of BA, and Athiel Mbaha of Blue Waters.The goalkeeping department has proved solid for the side so far, as they have only conceded one goal in the two friendly matches they have played.The midfield has the experience of Black Africa’s Lolo Goraseb, Brian Brendell, who has been superb for Civics with his long runs on the flanks, and Johannes Auala from Blue Waters.The selectors only opted for five strikers, instead settling for 10 midfielders, while the defenders will be nine in total.Black Africa has seven players in the side, followed by Blue Waters and Ramblers who have four each, while Civics and African Stars have three each.Tigers, Orlando Pirates and Chief Santos have two players each, while Touch & Go boast with one player.The President’s XI is: Goalkeepers: Esau Tjiuoro (Black Africa), Ephraim Tjihonge (BA), Athiel Mbaha (Blue Waters) and Arnold Subeb (BA).Defenders: Hartman Toromba (BA), Nelson Geingob (Santos), Michael Pienaar (Ramblers), Ivan Namaseb (Pirates), Gotlieb Nakuta (Blue Waters), Jeremia Mbaisako (Tigers), Garry Keister (BA), Moses Katjiteo (BA) and Andrew Tjahikika (African Stars) Midfielders: Freedom Puriza (African Stars), Victor Helu (Ramblers), Brian Gurirab (Chief Santos), Tjono Jagger (BA), Lolo Goraseb (BA), Riaan Cloete (Pirates), Johannes Auala (Blue Waters), Rudi Louw (Civics), Percy Khairabeb (Touch & Go) and Brian Brendell (Civics).Strikers: Johannes Seibeb (Stars), Nelson Akwenye (Tigers), Meraai Swartbooi (Blue Waters), Lazarus Kaimbi (Ramblers) and Heini Isaacs (Civics).Technical Team: Coach – Brian Isaacs, Assistant Coach – Dawid Snewe, Team Manager – Markus Damaseb, Kid Manager – Jeffrey Werner, Medic – Donatha Gawanab.