Career achievements as a coach?

Winning the Women’s Super League three times in a row as well as winning the Women’s Super Cup. Participating in the Caf women’s championship in Durban. I also represented the U/20 women’s national team at various qualifications games and led them to a silver medal in the 2016 Region 5 games in Angola. 

Biggest career disappointment?  

Losing the first edition of the Women’s Super League Cup to Nampol FC in Gobabis.

Favourite football club: 

Arsenal football club in the UK.

Biggest influence on your career? 

Jacqui Shipanga

Did you have a professional playing career before transitioning into coaching?  

If so, how did that experience shape your coaching style?

 My playing experience has given me a good insight that creates a well-balanced approach to understanding player and coach expectations from the touchline and how to better approach players on the field for the best collective output having been on the receiving end myself.

What coaching qualifications do you hold, and how have these qualifications contributed to your success as a coach? 

I hold a coaching certification from Sports Shule in Hennef Germany. And another was obtained through Coever Coaching Adidas Soccer Academy and the last NFA intro and C licence. 

Reflecting on the just concluded season, how would you describe the Tura Magic Ladies season? 

Collectively as a team, we had a great season, one that began with challenges, which we soon overcame. The challenges included a lack of training facility, and the inability to have all the girls training together as a team at once, due to work, and other commitments in a nutshell. This is one of our greatest achievements, having overcome all the odds that were against us and setting new personal records. The treble being above them all.

Looking at the just-ended season, which match would you consider the toughest, and what were the challenges when you faced them?

The just-ended season gave us some of the toughest oppositions or games, especially against the Namibian Police team, as well as Okahandja beauties and some of the challenges faced in these fixtures, were injuries or suspension, which we overcame by the versatility of the squad we have.

What lessons did you pick from the just-ended season? 

The nature of the season, allowed us to expose and exploit our weaknesses and also our strengths which we hope to improve on, and also build on going into the Caf champions league qualifiers, and also better prepare for the beginning of the upcoming season.

How much pressure does the title of ‘defending champion’ come with? 

Being defending champions is not easy, because every opposition prepares extra before an encounter with us and none of them come lying down. They come with guns blazing, and I cannot say we have had any easy match this season because every opposition presented a different kind of challenge. Having to prepare for each opposition was a little bit of an uphill battle, but my players were ready in the face of every encounter and I take my hat off for them in salute.

The FNB Women’s Super League trophy is in the bag, the next chapter is the Cosafa Women’s Championship. How is that coming together?

Well, the preparations are intensified. Now that we have quite several players in camp with the national team, preparing for qualifiers, which is quite a bonus, we’ve given a little time off for players to visit their families and recover from injuries before we officially jump into camp again and go at it.

The last time Magic competed in the same competition, the performance was not impressive. How do you guys intend to change the results? 

I would not say the performance was not pleasant. We played well at the highest level of competitors in the first edition of the champions league. This exposure allowed us to learn from our errors and better prepare for the much-needed experience going into the upcoming one. I think we are a much better side as opposed to the last Caf champions league and also better prepared now mentally, emotionally and physically because we know what to expect, and we know what approach to use going up against stronger, Southern African oppositions.

Have the club considered buying new players ahead of any major competition? 

Well yes, it is paramount for every club looking to compete at the highest level to recruit some players that will add value in positions where we are lacking, to this extent, we have identified a few faces we wish to bring on board, however, I am reluctant to disclose that at this stage.

What is your take on the current state of Women’s Football? 

Well, we are grateful to FNB which partnered up with the NFA to make women’s football a reality for two more seasons after this one. Following a long absence, I think there is still a long way for us to reach to better compete regionally, with our neighbouring counterparts.

In terms of the level and standard of the professional league, not all is lost as this season presented a whole new challenge. I think there was an improvement in terms of competition as compared to previous seasons so there is promise going forward for women’s football, becoming more competitive and I think it only gets better with more partners coming on board to support women’s football. We might just get an even better output.

Where do you see yourself five years from now?

The aim will always be to do better than I did yesterday, aim higher, hopefully, and by the special grace of God I look forward to playing a pivotal role in seeing the national team to an Afcon or World Cup appearance.