Namibia: Isaacs Begins Brave Warriors Make-Over

23 May 2011

BRAVE Warriors head coach Brian Isaacs will begin to absorb players from the under-23 side into the senior national team against Burkina Faso, he said on Friday.

Isaacs told Nampa that he intends to introduce a number of the promising youngsters during the 2012 African Cup of Nations qualifier on June 4 in Windhoek.

Namibia is currently at the bottom of Group F with no point, with Burkina Faso heading the group on six points, followed by Gambia in second place with three points.

The youngsters can expect to get the chance to settle their jitters in friendly against Kenya’s Harambee Stars next Monday. Kenya will set camp in Namibia in preparation of their upcoming Afcon qualifier against Angola.

“The introduction will be good for the exposure of the players, and eventually build up a future national team,” said Isaacs.

Isaacs on Friday called up 29 players in preparation for the match against Burkina Faso.

Of the 29 players, six are from the under-23 national team.

The local-based players are expected to report for duty today at the Safari Hotel by18h00, while the foreign-based players will join the team next week.

The Brave Warriors moved up one place, and is now ranked 140th on the latest Fifa world rankings but are ranked 39th in Africa, one place down from 38.

The preliminary squad is as follows:

Epfraim Tjihonge, Virgill Vries (u/23), Attiel Mbaha, Helmuth Maletski, Hartman Toromba, Richard Gariseb, Jamunovandu Ngatjizeko, Oliver Risser, Da Costa Angula, Willem Mwedihango, Gotlieb Nakuta, Teberius Lombard (u/23), Denzil Haoseb (u/23), Ninjaa Karongee, Ananias Gebhardt, Razundara Tjikuzu, Tangeni Shipahu, Bradley Wermann (u/23), Johannes Malgas, Pineas Jacob, Rudolf Bester, Sydney Plaatjies, Ronald Ketjijere, Emilio Martin (u/23), Heinrich Isaacks, Wilko Risser, Jordan Haimbili, Sidney Uri-khob (u/23) and Eslin Kamuhanga. – Nampa

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