Vries hails ‘best’ Warriors

BRAVE Warriors goalkeeper Virgil Vries believes the current crop is the best the country has had in years and that the team’s newfound resolve will serve them well against Kenya on Saturday.

The South African-based goal minder made a welcome return between the posts for the Warriors in Nigeria last Sunday and feels that their performance in that match highlighted a newfound compactness not usually associated with Namibian football.In fact Vries believes the current Warriors assembly is head and shoulders above those of years gone by. ‘In the Nigerian press, we were going to be slaughtered by their team and the players too were saying it, but as underdogs we played well,’ said Vries. ‘They couldn’t believe it. Our defence was very combative and watertight for 80 minutes until we conceded that goal. I still believe in them. We have overall the best team in years.’Vries also backed interim coach Bernard Kaanjuka, saying he had brought the best out of the players.’We are a family and we have the same cause of making our nation proud. Kaanjuka is the best motivator and we have confidence in him and he pushes us to rise to the occasion,’ Vries saidHe said he knew nothing about Kenya and that his team needed to focus on their own plan.’I don’t know anything about their players and I believe our coach has done his research. We will continue to take and follow instructions to ensure that our plan of victory comes together on Saturday,’ Vries said.’We need to win to have a better position in the group. The games will get tougher as we play and it is important that we win at home on Saturday. It will be so important for us.’Vries called on the nation to support the team. ‘It will be a dream come true to me to play in the packed stadium and I just hope and pray and beg of all Namibians to come and fill the stadium so that they raise our game. We need this so much and we want to see national colours all over the place’ he said.The match will kick off at 18h00 at the Independence Stadium in Windhoek.Tickets cost N$30 and are available in advance at the Computicket booth at Shoprite-Checkers countrywide as well as at NFA Soccer House.