2006-10-03Staff Report 2 "By Kuvee Kangueehi WINDHOEK Turkish-based Namibian midfielder, Razundara Tjikuzu, has not been called up for the national side after he refused to write a letter of apology to the Brave Warriors technical staff for breaching camp rules during the Cosafa Castle Cup tournament. Brave Warriors team manager, Marcus Damaseb, told New Era yesterday that Tjikuzu, who has a track record of poor discipline when requested to apologize in writing, took his bags and left the hotel and thus will not play any role in the crucial African Nations qualifier on Saturday. Damaseb said the other three players that were involved in the incident, namely, George Hummel, Costa Kheiseb and Letu Shatimuene, all apologized in writing and have been called up. Although the Brave Warriors technical staff never openly spoke about the incident, media reports at the time claimed that the four players went partying after their defeat against the Seychelles on the Saturday and even brought their girlfriends into the Kalahari Sands Hotel where they were in camp. Damaseb said the other three players had arrived and will join training tomorrow morning. The team manager said the South African-based players - Hummel, Kheiseb, Richard Gariseb, Henrico Botes, Hartman Toromba and Atheil Mbaha - have all arrived but had problems with their luggage at the airport yesterday morning. He noted that the players plying their trade in Europe are expected to join the rest of the squad this morning. The players are Collin Benjamin, Heini Isaacs and Quinton Jacobs. The team manager added that all players are injury free except for Shatimuene who is nursing a small wound. He said there are currently twenty players in training and four will be dropped this morning to bring down the number to twenty players. Meanwhile, Nampa reports that although it's an open secret that the Namibia Football Association (NFA) has financial hiccups, nonetheless the association continues paying Zambian-born national coach Ben Bamfuchile's stay at the Windhoek Country Club and Resort. On enquiry, the association's Public Relations Officer (PRO) Beau Kauta confirmed to Nampa on Monday that the NFA foots Bamfuchile's bill. He however could not tell when arrangements would be made to have Bamfuchile housed at a more affordable place. Kauta said the NFA is currently busy with the regional elections and that perhaps the issue of Bamfuchile would be addressed at a later stage. Having been referred to the NFA Secretary-General, Alpheus Gaweseb, by the association's Acting President, John Muinjo, because of the administrative nature of the issue, the secretary-general refused to talk, as he first needed to be informed by Muinjo before talking to the media. ""You must first ask the acting president to call me then I will talk you,"" said Gaweseb. A double room for a guest per month is N$1 400 whereas a single room costs N$1 175. Since June the NFA has paid an estimated N$5 600 if Bamfuchile stayed in a double room while the soccer mother body had paid N$4 700 if he stayed in a single room. The new coach in June this year signed a three-year contract that is open to an extension depending on Bamfuchile's performance with the national team. So far the new coach has had a poor stint with the Brave Warriors after recording a win against Malawi during the Confederation of Southern Africa Football Association (COSAFA) Cup third place play-offs. In their opening match of the sub-continental tournament the Brave Warriors suffered a loss to Seychelles 4-2 in a penalty shootout. Also on his list is the defeat to South Africa in an international friendly in which the Brave Warriors lost by a solitary goal. With the kick-off of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers the Brave Warriors lost to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) early September 2-3. Their second qualifying match is against Ethiopia on October 7 at the Sam Nujoma Stadium. The players that have been called up to play Ethiopia are: Athiel Mbaha, Arnold Subeb, Abisai Shiningayamwe, Michael Pienaar, George Hummel, Jeremia Baisako, Franklin April, Letu Shatimwene, Robert Nauseb, Collin Benjamin, Brian Brendel, Jamunovandu Ngatjizeko, Henrico Botes, Rudolf Bester, Nelson Akwenye, Freedom Puriza, Costa Kheiseb, Heini Isaacks, Hartman Toromba, Brian Gurirab, Victor Helu, Quinton Jacobs, Richard Gariseb, Garry Kheister and Nelson Geingob." 2006-10-03Staff Report 2
