Windhoek
With the 2016 Cosafa Castle Cup preparations in full swing, the Cosafa Referees Committee will host a three-day Referees Pre-Tournament Course in Windhoek from June 7 aimed at ensuring match officials are in top shape and updated to make the tourney a great spectacle. Defending champions Namibia will play host to the annual regional Cosafa Castle Cup from June 11 to 25 in Windhoek. The regional football body’s referees committee under the stewardship of former NFA president John Muinjo will be taken through the ropes ahead of the three-week 14-nations football bonanza.
According to Muinjo, the workshop will cover various issues such as integrated training sessions, revised laws of the game 2016-2017, tactical approach, the modern game and fitness tests.
“All the referees that will form part of the competition are obliged to attend this course so that they know what is expected of them. We want to assess their fitness levels and knowledge with regard to the updated laws of the game because refereeing is central to the competition and we need to make sure match officials are well prepared, while the rules and regulations of the Cosafa tourney will be highlighted as well,” Muinjo states.
Muinjo adds that referees monitoring wll continue on a daily basis during the competition with referees to be debriefed every morning after the game in an effort to point out and correct their mistakes.
“There will be an IT instructor to prepare material with clips from the game for debriefing sessions. Referees found to be below par are normally sent home because at this level the combination of experience, talent and efforts are key – referees are crucial and their decision-making could make or break this competition.”
Namibian referees and assistants who are not part of the tourney will be invited to attend the pre-tournament workshop and practicals for them to benefit, as this would be a legacy and chance to be grabbed with both hands. A local physical instructor will be used at the tourney as well.