New Brave Gladiators’ coach Paulus Shipanga is happy with the way the players are reacting to training, but said they still have to work on their fitness levels.
The Namibian senior women’s team is preparing to compete in the 2022 Hollywood Bets Cosafa Women’s championship scheduled for Port Elizabeth, South Africa from 31 August to 11 September.
They are in Group B alongside 2022 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations bronze medal winners Zambia, Lesotho and Swaziland.
Shipanga told New Era Sport that they are yet to reach the level of fitness the players ought to have, and will continue with training every day to meet their fitness target.
“I don’t have my full squad yet as some players are still at their clubs and some are still at their places of work, but the team is optimistic,” he added.
Reacting to the group Namibia have been drawn in, Shipanga said he was happy with it.
Despite some people saying it is an easy group, he doesn’t underestimate any team in the group, but they stand a good chance of going through.
“The only competition that I would say we have is Zambia. But on the other hand, we don’t underestimate any team. Every nation is capable of winning, so we will work hard to make sure we advance to the next round of the competition,” he said.
Asked if the ongoing issues regarding outstanding payments of the players for previous games have impacted training, Shipanga said it has not had any bad effect on their preparations as players are focused on the competition ahead.
But, he does not want to get involved in that issue.
“Yes, the players are demanding their payment for some reasons I do not know. But the players are giving me their all. I don’t want to involve myself in that issue because that’s the problem between them and the FA,” he stated.
The Brave Gladiators briefly stopped training on 4 August 2022, and demanded that the money they are owed by the Namibia Football Association be paid to them forthwith.
The players said they have not been paid in 11 months.
However, Fifa Normalisation Committee chairman Bisey Uirab urged the women to continue training and wait until the association comes up with a solution. Meanwhile, the coach added that the team might leave for South Africa on 27 August and have friendlies before the competition commences.
– mkambukwe@nepc.com.na