Warriors need to shape up

NAMIBIA’S Brave Warriors need to capitalise in their June 3 home tie against Libya if they want to keep their hopes alive to qualify for the demanding African Nations Cup finals, after they lost 2-1 to that country in Tripoli on Sunday.

The poor away record of the Warriors has cost them a place in the finals of the continental showpiece for the past eight years and in the process also saw the exit of several coaches. Current coach Ben Bamfuchile has one win and two losses under his belt in the African Nations Cup campaign and the home game will be crucial for Namibia to maintain momentum, as they only have three points from their three matches so far.A draw in Libya would have been ideal, but the performance of the players, especially the foreign-based professionals, is questionable.The foreign-based players, who have played more matches on national level, have drawn a lot of criticism from the football masses, as they repeatedly fail to live up to expectations.Despite German-based Collin Benjamin scoring for the Namibians late in the game in their loss on Sunday, there are still questions surrounding the inclusion of some of the foreign-based players in the squad who do not deliver.Namibia’s strike force remains one of the bluntest in the region and this has largely contributed to a goal famine in most of their matches.The absence of leading striker and captain Henrico Botes through suspension weakened the striking force, which is being led by a relatively inexperienced player such as Ettiene Beukes of Orlando Pirates, while Jomo Cosmos hitman Sidney Plaatjies often fails to dish out the killer instinct in front of goal as he does for his club.The young Heinrich Isaacks, who is now based in Denmark, Eleven Arrows midfielder Rudolf Bester and Hamburg’s Benjamin are all used out of their usual positions, preventing them from playing at their full potential.Benjamin at times plays behind the strikers, but he can be best used as a left winger, while Isaacs generally attacks from the left midfield position.Isaacks is instead being used on the right wing.Bester, who lacks pace but is a good ball distributor, is generally a midfield maestro with a great vision, but he is being employed as a centre forward and his height is a disadvantage against the opposing defenders.Professional players such as Robert Nauseb who plays for Santos in South Africa, Quinton Jacobs who turns out for Bruney in Norway, Oliver Risser (Boner SC, Germany), George Hummel (Moroka Swallows, SA) and Richard Gariseb of Bidvest Wits have all the experience.These players have the obligation to lift their game and carry the hopes of the country in making it to the next stage.The coaches should use the game against Libya as a yardstick to measure the performance all these professionals, as there are many talented and competent players who are currently knocking on the Brave Warriors’ door.Bamfuchile and his technical staff will be required to sharpen the attack if they want to see Namibia making progress, or will otherwise face the axe.Bamfuchile, a sharp tactician and a disciplinarian, should put down his foot when it comes to player selections, as this will eventually determine his future with the national side.Current coach Ben Bamfuchile has one win and two losses under his belt in the African Nations Cup campaign and the home game will be crucial for Namibia to maintain momentum, as they only have three points from their three matches so far.A draw in Libya would have been ideal, but the performance of the players, especially the foreign-based professionals, is questionable.The foreign-based players, who have played more matches on national level, have drawn a lot of criticism from the football masses, as they repeatedly fail to live up to expectations.Despite German-based Collin Benjamin scoring for the Namibians late in the game in their loss on Sunday, there are still questions surrounding the inclusion of some of the foreign-based players in the squad who do not deliver.Namibia’s strike force remains one of the bluntest in the region and this has largely contributed to a goal famine in most of their matches.The absence of leading striker and captain Henrico Botes through suspension weakened the striking force, which is being led by a relatively inexperienced player such as Ettiene Beukes of Orlando Pirates, while Jomo Cosmos hitman Sidney Plaatjies often fails to dish out the killer instinct in front of goal as he does for his club.The young Heinrich Isaacks, who is now based in Denmark, Eleven Arrows midfielder Rudolf Bester and Hamburg’s Benjamin are all used out of their usual positions, preventing them from playing at their full potential.Benjamin at times plays behind the strikers, but he can be best used as a left winger, while Isaacs generally attacks from the left midfield position.Isaacks is instead being used on the right wing.Bester, who lacks pace but is a good ball distributor, is generally a midfield maestro with a great vision, but he is being employed as a centre forward and his height is a disadvantage against the opposing defenders.Professional players such as Robert Nauseb who plays for Santos in South Africa, Quinton Jacobs who turns out for Bruney in Norway, Oliver Risser (Boner SC, Germany), George Hummel (Moroka Swallows, SA) and Richard Gariseb of Bidvest Wits have all the experience.These players have the obligation to lift their game and carry the hopes of the country in making it to the next stage.The coaches should use the game against Libya as a yardstick to measure the performance all these professionals, as there are many talented and competent players who are currently knocking on the Brave Warriors’ door.Bamfuchile and his technical staff will be required to sharpen the attack if they want to see Namibia making progress, or will otherwise face the axe.Bamfuchile, a sharp tactician and a disciplinarian, should put down his foot when it comes to player selections, as this will eventually determine his future with the national side.