Maqonda Ndlovu
Newly promoted Botswana Premier League team Matebele FC arrived in Namibia yesterday morning for a six-day training camp, where they are expected to play several preparatory matches against local premier league teams as they look forward to life in the Botswana Premier League.
The Woody Nicholas Jacobs-coached Matebele team brought with them 34 players, including Namibians, namely Daryl Goagoseb, McCarthy Nawaseb and Romeo Kasume, whose signing was confirmed by general manager Kaelo Kediseng Kedesing.
“We are happy to be in Namibia; it is a beautiful country. We brought 34 players; eight of them are on our under-21 team that participates in the junior league back home,” Kediseng said.
He added that they decided to come to Namibia after their recently signed coach, Jacobs, suggested a training camp in Namibia to prepare the team for their upcoming season.
Matebele will play their first match against Security Systems on 19 September before facing Police XI the following week and Jwaneng Galaxy a week later.
Speaking to this publication, Jacobs said he will use the tour to practice various systems that he will employ during the season.
“We will work on our conditioning and formation and also get these players exposed to top-quality football from teams in Namibia. I will also have an opportunity to look at one or two players whom we have not signed yet but who are with us on this trip,” Jacobs said.
Jacobs, who became the first ever Namibia football coach to handle a team outside the country as head coach, said he was looking forward to the upcoming season in a new country with new challenges on the horizon.
“I have been following the Botswana League closely, and I am looking forward to this challenge. We are a young team, and our aim this year will be to survive relegation and maybe finish in the top half of the log standings,” he said.
Matebele will play a friendly match against Unam today before playing Okahandja United in Okahandja tomorrow. They will then participate in a six-team tournament, featuring Orlando Pirates, Ongos Valley (formerly Tura Magic), Unam, Young African, Khomas Nampol and Blue Waters in an international tournament at Independence Stadium on Saturday. The draw for the tournament was expected to be done yesterday or early today.
Matebele FC is camped at the University of Namibia.
Besides the 34 players, Matebele also brought in seven members of the technical team, with two more senior club figures expected to join the team tomorrow or Friday.
Matebele FC is based 20 kilometres outside the Botswana capital, Gaborone, and was previously known as Master Blackpool. –jrnmarko@gmail.com