Warriors ‘will be brave’ at Afcon

Namibia can attain that elusive first win at the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) if preparations are in line with that ambition, says Brave Warriors head coach Collin Benjamin.

He believes he has a team capable of making positive history for the nation. However, their success on the pitch depends just as much on their support structure off it as it does on talent, Benjamin said.

The battle lines were officially drawn in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, on Thursday when Namibia learnt they will face former African champions South Africa and Tunisia alongside Mali in Group E.

African football’s marquee competition runs from 13 January until 11 February 2024 in Ivory Coast. Reflecting on the draw yesterday, Benjamin is optimistic that the upcoming tournament will be one to remember for Namibia.

“I definitely am of the opinion that we will get points that are more than what we did at previous tournaments,” Benjamin said in an interview with The Namibian yesterday.

“When I look at the chance of progressing, obviously it is there. But that depends on the preparation, on what the mental frame of the team is. We will do everything possible to get that first win at the nations cup. We want to be brave and we will be,” the coach said.

Benjamin said urged the nation to rally behind his relatively young charges as they prepare to take on the continent’s best teams.

“Countries plan for years to get to the nations cup, some still haven’t while Namibia is going for the fourth time. We’re among the top 24 countries in Africa, that really means something. So, I think these players deserve much more recognition than they are given,” said Benjamin, who has been to the last two Afcon editions that Namibia qualified for.

He was captain in 2008 when Ghana hosted the competition and assistant coach to predecessor Ricardo Mannetti four years ago in Egypt.

“It’s for us to try to write history and get that first win amid all the odds. They put pressure on themselves to do well, which speaks to the character of this team. We’re now hoping that we can engage and be granted a good platform where we can prepare proper so that we can make history and Namibia proud,” Benjamin said of the daunting task that lies ahead.

“I thinks it’s a tough group. We always get the tough ones, it’s never easy for Namibia. It’s a chance for us, as much as it is a tough one, and a good challenge to try and do better than what we did before.

“It’s also going to be our motivation. We’ll go full out there. We have respect for everybody but will go out there and do our best.”

Like most Namibians, the match against 1996 Afcon winners South Africa carries extra significance for Benjamin.

Bafana Bafana beat the Brave Warriors 4-1 at the 1998 tournament in Burkina Faso and 1-0 in Egypt, where both nations last featured in the competition.

While the 2010 Fifa World Cup hosts enjoy a significant winning margin over Namibia overall, they’ve shared the spoils in the last three clashes.

The most recent meeting between the two nations ended in a goalless stalemate in September.

“It’s the third time we’re facing our big brothers at Afcon. It’s obviously special in terms of the demography, it’s a derby. The two countries have a history together, some of our players play in South Africa. It’s one of those situations where the student wants to show the teacher what they have learnt,” said Benjamin.

However, the focus is not only on doing well against South Africa. There is the small matter of standing up to 2004 Afcon champions Tunisia and Mali, who have reached the semi-finals four times since the turn of the century.

“I think we haven’t quite fully comprehended what it actually means when you’re among the other countries who were at the draw,” said Benjamin, who remained abroad following the draw, scouting for a suitable base for his charges when they take their place at the finals.

“Some of these players will appear at the nations cup for the second time. We also know the conditions the players went through to make it to the nations cup.

“There’s always pressure with the national team. They are representing around three million Namibians. They [Brave Warriors] wanna make their country proud,” Benjamin said.

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