Warriors on track in Germany

THE Namibian national football team kicked off their preparations for the Africa Cup of Nations in Ghana under new coach Aries Schans in Germany last Thursday.

The Brave Warriors are training in wintry North Rhine-Westphalia at the invitation of the German National Football Association (DFB), which has been supporting the Namibia Football Association (NFA) since the year 2000. The NFA delegation, consisting of 30 players, coaches and technical staff, are staying in a hotel at the modem training facilities of the Westphalian Athletics and Football Association in Kamen-Kaiserau until December 23.”The training conditions here are ideal for us.We can train on regular football fields, on artificial turf or inside a gym if the weather is too cold,” coach Schans said.The Dutchman became the temporary successor to Ben Bamfuchile, who is recovering from an unknown illness and who might not be able to accompany the team to Ghana.Schans was signed as coach of the Brave Warriors for the Africa Cup of Nations earlier this month.He experienced his first encounter with the players and his assistant coaches Brian Isaacs and Ronnie Kanalelo at the start of the training camp last week.”We have already gathered some very talented players with good individual ball skills, but team work is not the strongest point at the moment.That is the main task we have to improve over the next few days,” commented Schans on his first impression of his new team.The Westphalian Athletics and Football Association is still searching for opponents, since all the German leagues have closed for the winter break over Christmas and many clubs will not resume their training before mid-January.Nevertheless, Schans and team manager Tim Isaacs are optimistic that they will find a club the Brave Warriors can face.”Unfortunately not all of our players are here yet.Some of them are still active with their clubs in South Africa and will join us on December 27 in Namibia.There, the second phase of the preparations for the tournament in Ghana will continue,” he said.The 55-year-old coach is excited about the African Cup of Nations.”We will have two tough games in our group versus Ghana and Morocco.As the host of the tournament Ghana faces a lot more pressure than we do.I think it is fair to call us an underdog.But we will try to achieve some surprises in those games,” he said.Team manager Isaacs referred to Namibia’s qualifying campaign, where Namibia left the group favourite Congo behind in the end.”We surprised many people and experts with our performances during the qualification games.Sometimes it is better for a team to be the underdog and not the favourite of a competition,” he said.Schans was called into life by the NFA to take the team to Ghana in case Bamfuchile is unfit for the trip.The NFA at the time said Schans will only be involved until the team returns from Ghana, whereupon a new coach will be sought.The NFA delegation, consisting of 30 players, coaches and technical staff, are staying in a hotel at the modem training facilities of the Westphalian Athletics and Football Association in Kamen-Kaiserau until December 23.”The training conditions here are ideal for us.We can train on regular football fields, on artificial turf or inside a gym if the weather is too cold,” coach Schans said.The Dutchman became the temporary successor to Ben Bamfuchile, who is recovering from an unknown illness and who might not be able to accompany the team to Ghana.Schans was signed as coach of the Brave Warriors for the Africa Cup of Nations earlier this month.He experienced his first encounter with the players and his assistant coaches Brian Isaacs and Ronnie Kanalelo at the start of the training camp last week.”We have already gathered some very talented players with good individual ball skills, but team work is not the strongest point at the moment.That is the main task we have to improve over the next few days,” commented Schans on his first impression of his new team.The Westphalian Athletics and Football Association is still searching for opponents, since all the German leagues have closed for the winter break over Christmas and many clubs will not resume their training before mid-January.Nevertheless, Schans and team manager Tim Isaacs are optimistic that they will find a club the Brave Warriors can face.”Unfortunately not all of our players are here yet.Some of them are still active with their clubs in South Africa and will join us on December 27 in Namibia.There, the second phase of the preparations for the tournament in Ghana will continue,” he said.The 55-year-old coach is excited about the African Cup of Nations.”We will have two tough games in our group versus Ghana and Morocco.As the host of the tournament Ghana faces a lot more pressure than we do.I think it is fair to call us an underdog.But we will try to achieve some surprises in those games,” he said.Team manager Isaacs referred to Namibia’s qualifying campaign, where Namibia left the group favourite Congo behind in the end.”We surprised many people and experts with our performances during the qualification games.Sometimes it is better for a team to be the underdog and not the favourite of a competition,” he said.Schans was called into life by the NFA to take the team to Ghana in case Bamfuchile is unfit for the trip.The NFA at the time said Schans will only be involved until the team returns from Ghana, whereupon a new coach will be sought.