By Confidence Musariri
Windhoek
National soccer team coach, Ben Bamfuchile is not part of the Brave Warriors squad travelling to Malawi this week due to severe illness.
Medical doctors on Friday could not establish what has attacked Bamfuchile and needed a two-hour check-up on Saturday to find out that he had been infected by a cyanosis infection from the nose to the throat.
“I am actually feeling much better now, after the Saturday check-up. It was a different case over the past few days and I am now on the recovery,” he said yesterday afternoon.
According to the 47-year-old coach, he has been checked by three local doctors, one of whom had detected the emergence of diabetes in his body but later dismissed his first findings. As a result, assistant coaches Ronnie Kanalelo and Brian Isaacs will be in charge of the national team that will face Malawi in that country’s independence anniversary celebrations this coming weekend.
Bamfuchile looked weary and worn-out at the Amos Shiyuka testimonial gala dinner on Friday and could not enjoy the meal as he has been suffering from constant lack of appetite.
“I am now resting and will be on my feet within the next few days,”said Bamfuchile, sounding much livelier than during his condition over the weekend.
Cyanosis is often caused by brief exposure to cold air or water, high altitudes; breath-holding, bronchiolitis, shock and congestive heart failure. It is more obvious in the mucous membranes where there is a discolouration due to lack of oxygen in the blood.
On the eve of last month’s gruelling African Nations Cup encounters between Libya and DRC which fell within two weeks of each other, Bamfuchile constantly pointed out how much stress was taking its toll on him. On numerous occasions, the coach mentioned how he was under pressure and stress to collect maximum points from the two games. He managed four out of a potential six points.
Upon enquiry over the weekend, the coach did not rule out the fact that it might be the after-effects of the considerable stress he endured during the qualifiers.
Namibia is engaging Malawi for the second time within a year after The Flames of Malawi were put out 3-2 in a dead-rubber match of the Cosafa Castle Cup last year.
Malawi is out of the African Nations Cup qualifiers, and their new British coach, Stephen Constantine, is busy assembling a squad for the 2010 African Nations Cup and World Cup qualfiers. The Brave Warriors are equipping themselves for the all-important Road to Ethiopia which should conclude the team’s ambitions to be at the Nations Cup in Ghana.
The team is expected to depart tomorrow morning with NFA coordinator, Titus Kunamuene, in charge of the delegation.
According to team manager, Tim Isaacs, South African-based goalkeeper, Abisai Shiningayamwe, will be the only professional in the side as the technical team resorted to exposing the local players with much football.
Eleven Arrows player, Chris Katjihukua, and African Stars middleman, Gerson Katjetenja, are the surprise inclusion in the team.
“We will need these local-based players for the Cosafa Castle Cup and they need the exposure, and we have taken into account the fact that most professionals have returned to their bases. We will only ask them to come for the Cosafa Cup on July 28. Since the Cosafa is not included on the FIFA calendar, it will be up to the foreign clubs to release the players, but at least we would have exposed our young lads. We will still ask for the professionals to be released for the Cosafa, though,” said Isaacs. Notable local absentee is play-maker, Letu Shatimuene, who has just been signed on by Angolan side, Primeiro De Agosto.
Lua Lua Shatimuene is already on an off-season induction with the Angolan premiership champions who were in Namibia last June.
“They were impressed by him, so they signed him on, and we will not want to mess our relations at this early stage by calling for his release for a friendly international.” said Isaacs.