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04.01.2008 Sports News

Namibia to play for departed coach

04.01.2008 LISTEN
By ghanasoccernet

Ghana?s opponents in group A at this month?s African Cup of Nations, Namibia, have been told play in honour of late coach Ben Bamfuchile.

Namibia's Minister of Sport, John Mutorwa, says the Brave Warriors have to play in respect of the memory and the legacy of the late Ben Bamfuchile, their former coach who died last week Thursday.

Mutorwa said this in a statement in which he conveyed his condolences to the family of the late coach, who died at the age of 47 in the northern city of Kitwe in Zambia.

He said Bamfuchile has left a good legacy, worthy to be emulated, especially by aspiring coaches, not only in Zambia and Namibia, but in the SADC region, in Africa and in the world.

Bamfuchile became an instant hero in September after Namibia snatched a 3-2 victory in Ethiopia to qualify for the African Nations Cup finals.

Meanwhile, Namibia Football Association (NFA) acting Secretary General Barry Rukoro said the association was impressed with Bamfuchile's commitment to the success of the team.

"We witnessed first-hand Ben's passion for sharing his vast pool of African football experience as he inculcated the desire and hunger for qualification to the African Cup of Nations and the need to make that a habit in the youthful Warriors team," he said.

Dutch national Arie Schans is the head coach of the Warriors at the moment and he will have his first international assignment when the Warriors meet Egypt in a warm-up friendly in Cairo in Saturday.

Schans was headhunted by the NFA to cover for Bamfuchile in case the latter did not recover in time for the Nations Cup.

After losing his job as Zambia coach in 2000, Bamfuchile bounced back as assistant coach to Kalusha Bwalya in 2003.

He quit the post last year, opting to join Namibia as head trainer.

During his career as a footballer, he played for fallen Zambian giants Nkana who dominated domestic football in the '80s.

Later, Bamfuchile coached Nkana's arch-rivals Power Dynamos, with whom he won over six cups.

He also had coaching stints in South Africa.

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