Former Brave Warriors gaffer Ricardo Mannetti has been appointed to serve on the Council of Southern Africa Football Associations Technical Study Group, where he will be joined by the likes of Bafana Bafana legend Mark Fish and others.

Their first assignment will be the upcoming Cosafa Cup, which starts today and run until 17 July in Durban, South Africa. 

Mannetti and his fellow Technical Study Group (TSG) members will be tasked with assessing the quality of the competition and also keep tabs on the latest trends in coaching and playing styles that will emerge from the competition. They will also record all statistics around the competition.  

The TSG is also involved in selecting the Player of the Match for each game, as well as the top 11 players and substitutes for a Team of the Tournament. They also choose the Player of the Tournament and Golden Glove winner among the goalkeepers.

After this year’s Cosafa Cup concludes, the TSG will be expected to compile and present a comprehensive report to Cosafa’s leadership, wherein various recommendations and vital information will be shared on how the regional body can improve the quality and calibre of the competition, and also on how latest football trends can be adopted by the body. 

“I’m truly honoured and humbled to have been chosen to serve on this very important Cosafa group. During my time with the Brave Warriors, I won the Cosafa Cup and also won the Plate competition of Cosafa, and with all the experience gained while coaching at the highest level in the region and on the continent, it will be another opportunity for me to share my experience and also learn more from my colleagues in the group. I am very excited. I can’t wait to assist where needed,” said Mannetti. 

The retired Brave Warriors legendary midfield kingpin added it will be a huge opportunity for him to exchange notes with top football personalities such as Fish and renowned former Mamelodi Sundowns assistant coach Cavin Johnson, who was until recently assistant to Pitso Mosimane at Egyptian giants Al Ahly.

“Those are some of the people who will make up this year’s Cosafa TSG and it will be great to learn and share with them. They (Fish and Johnson) have served football at the highest level, so this is a huge chance for me and Namibia to exchange with them on this group.”

- ohembapu@nepc.com.na