Maurice Kambukwe

The newly-established Confederation of African Football (Caf) Women’s Champions League will help professionalise women football across the continent, Brave Gladiators great Julien Garises strongly believes.
Caf recently announced the establishment of the Women’s Champions League, which will see clubs across the continent compete in the prestigious continental tournament, equivalent to that of the males.

Speaking to New Era Sport, national team manager Julien Garises said the newly-established League comes at the right times and will create platforms for Namibia and other African countries to grow the game and give players exposure at a much bigger platform.
In terms of professionalising women football in the country, Garises says the League will serve as a departure point because local teams will now be competing with bigger teams on the continent – and that, in itself, will be an opportunity to clubs to exchange notes and expertise.

She also believes the League will greatly benefit the senior national team in the long run. She says it will also help coaches, as they will now be required to have proper coaching licenses in order to coach any of the teams taking part in the league.
“I think it’s a magnificent initiative by the continental football ruling body; it’s an acknowledgment of how far women football has come. It shows there’s a transformation in women’s football on the continent. Caf has realised the direction that women football is headed to. We will now have more of our local players getting contracts with European clubs through this league,” said Garises.

Also speaking to this publication, football agent Sonny Maharero, who scouts local players, said “It’s a big platform for local players to be scouted. There will be an opportunity for local players to spread across the world.

“It’s an important competition that will give them enough chances to compete, unlike in the past, where football competitions would be limited for women. It will expose them to other markets; it will improve their networking because the only time these players get a chance to be watched by scouts is when national teams are playing – and national teams do not have competitions frequently, which, I think, would be of great benefit,” Maharero said.
– mkambukwe@nepc.com.na