THE FIFA Normalisation Committee for Namibia on Monday announced that African Stars head coach Bobby Samaria accepted the challenge to take charge of the Brave Warriors’ 2020 African Nations Championship (Chan) qualifiers.
With Ricardo Mannetti’s contract not renewed after running its course upon the Brave Warriors exit from the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt, the normalisation committee turned to Samaria as a stop-gap appointment until a new substantive leadership comes into office in September.
NC chairlady Hilda Basson-Namundjebo called on the nation to support the team which begins its quest for a second Chan appearance with a pair of second round qualification matches against the Comoros Island on 26 July away and 2 August at home.
“We have got a coach for the Chan team and we believe Bobby has the right mentality and enthusiasm to lead the team at this juncture,” she said in a statement published on the NFA website.
“We were never going to pull out these important qualifiers and the team starts training on Tuesday. The previous head coach initiated this project and players and we just carrying it through for continuation. We will support the team in order to get the best out of them,” Basson-Namundjebo said.
The decorated Samaria is looking forward to the challenge, albeit at short notice. He returns to the national team fold after some time out, having previously coached the junior sides.
“When I was approached to consider the offer to coach the national team, I was excited and firstly needed to get the blessings from Africans Stars who gave me that and then I accepted to serve my country in this capacity,” Samaria said.
Samaria has a proven track record in domestic football, having won three league titles with African Stars in 2009, 2010 and 2017 while also leading Tigers to FA Cup success in 2015.
“I was frozen out for some time but now I have grown wiser and bolder to serve the nation. Being part of the setup is not an entitlement and I’m ready to work,” said Samaria who was coach of the national under-20 and 23s between 2005 and 2008.
He called up 31 players, including several who did duty in Egypt to prepare for the test of the Comoros, whom Namibia edged 2-1 to qualify for last year’s Chan.
The pressure is on Namibia to repeat the feat which ended in quarter-final elimination by host Morocco.
“We have only this week here and Monday we leave for Comoros and I must emphasise that we are pressed for time. Bt that should not be an excuse because the players are footballers and this types of situation are common to them and to me as a coach as well,” Samaria said.
Here are the 31 players: Larry Horaeb, Charles Hambira and Junias Theophilus (Tura Magic), Aprocious Petrus (Eleven Arrows), Kennedy Eib (Touch & Go), Mata Mbemutjiua (Young African), Jonas Mathias (Citizens), Edmund Kambanda and Charles Uirab (Unam), Ratanda Mbazuvara, Treasure Kauapirura, Ivan Kamberipa, Obrey Amseb, Marcel Papama and Gustav Isaak (African Stars), Immanuel Heita, Dynamo Fredericks, Wesley Katjiteo, Vitapi Ngaruka, Emilio Martin, McCartney Naweseb, Wendell Rudath ( Black Africa), Mapenzi Muwanei, Llewelyn Stanley and Absalom Iimbondi (Tigers), Gregory Auchumeb (Blue Waters), Isaskar Gurirab (Life Fighters), Elmo Kambindu, Olsen Ameb and Bernard Horaseb (Mighty Gunners), Panduleni Nekundi (unattached), Revered Matroos (Young Brazilians).
