Namibia Premier Football League club African Stars have signed eight experienced players in preparation for their highly anticipated 2023 Confederation of African Football (CAF) Champions League participation.
The club unveiled six of its signees during a press conference held at the Namibia Football Association (NFA) technical centre on Friday.
Amongst them are Dennis Tjizumaue, who arrives from Township Rollers, Botswana; Joseph Lungu, a Zambian defender from Red Arrows FC; Angelo Kuezi, acquired from Eleven Arrows; Calvin Spiegel, making the move from Blue Waters FC; Vaitavera Tjatindi from Citizens; and Nigerian Striker Hammed Oyeniyi from Bariga Professional FC.
While Stars have claimed league titles and cups on multiple occasions, their previous attempts at the CAF Champions League ended in early elimination.
However, the club aims to change this narrative and is determined to make significant strides in the continental tournament.
Their primary objective in acquiring these new players is to bolster the squad and elevate the team’s performance in the upcoming competitions.
Addressing the press conference last week, the club’s executive director, Salomo Hei, emphasised the importance of strengthening the team in preparation for the highly competitive continental tourney.
He expressed his delight in introducing two international players during the conference and revealed that they were still expecting three more players, two of whom are Nigerian and one from Ghana.
Notably, these players have also earned recognition as youth internationals and have been called up to the Nigerian U/20 national team.
“The reason why we sought players from Africa is because we have an Africa campaign ahead, and successful African teams in such competitions often include foreign players. This being our third attempt, we have learned from our past experiences and are seizing this opportunity to be more than ready, with the hope of advancing through the group stage,” Hei said.
Looking ahead, he shared the team’s plans for pre-season games to prepare for the 2023/24 campaign, set to begin in September.
Hei revealed that they would be engaging in matches against various teams, including a fixture against Township Rollers in Botswana on the 5th of August.
Additionally, he said they are working towards a final preparation game with a team from Zambia, though the details have yet to be confirmed, with hopes of hosting the match in Windhoek on August 11.
Meanwhile, Lungu, one of the new signings from Zambia, expressed his excitement about joining the renowned Katutura giants.
He stated his ambition to contribute to the team’s success in the continental competition, saying, “It’s a good team, and I share the same aspiration of taking the team to the group stage and defending the league title.”
- mkambukwe@nepc.com.na