Maqonda Ndlovu
Zebaldt Ngaruka
Several Namibia Premier League Football Clubs have begun preparations for the 2024 Debmarine Namibia Premier Football League (NPFL).
A survey by New Era Sport shows that while the league will only resume on 3 February 2024, most teams have started preparations, and those that have not started will do so in the coming few days.
Gobabis-based Debmarine Premiership outfit Young African Football Club resumed training on 10 January at Legare Stadium.
Club owner and coach Marley Ngarizemo said he was satisfied with the first-round finish and will look forward to a better ending in the second round.
“Our priority is to finish in the top five at the end of the season. We will work hard for that, and I have confidence in my players to achieve this season’s goal,” said Ngarizemo.
Asked whether the team will sign new players for the second round, Ngarizemo said the club will release two or three players to make way for the planned three new additions to the squad.
At the coast, Blue Waters resumed training on 8 January, while newly promoted Nampol resumed training on 9 January.
“We aim to bolster our team with four new players: one goalkeeper, a midfielder, a winger, and a striker. We will also be welcoming most of the players who were with us in first division but had to go for police training,” coach Fortune Eichab said.
He added that he will also bring new players he scouted in the regions into the team.
Prodigal son Woody Jacobs, who recently trekked back home from his six-month stint with Matebele FC in Botswana and joined the Orlando Pirates during the week confirmed that he trained with his new team on Wednesday 10 January.
“The team has started training already. I will assess the current squad and then make signings accordingly. I am talking to some players, but nothing concrete so far,” Jacobs said.
It is understood that former Matebele goalkeeper Mbemutjiua Mata will be joining Pirates on loan from Young African after re-joining them from Botswana.
Unam stand-in coach Robert Nauseb says they started training last week as well, and they intend signing at least four or five players to strengthen the team.
Tigers and Civics have not started training, with Civics coach Jeremy Zimmer saying they will start training today.
He said he aims bringing in six new players to the squad.
Tigers coach James Britz said he was set to meet management yesterday evening to map the way forward, including the planning for signings.
Defending champions Africa Stars commenced training last Wednesday, and coach Marvin Mbakera said they will make few signings to strengthen the squad.
FC Ongos were the first club to resume training on 3 January and they are planning on signing three new players.
The NPFL fixtures will resume on 3 February and conclude on 14 April 2024.
The second registration period opens today and closes on 12 February.