Shipanga happy with u20 preparations

The national u20 men’s football team head coach Lucky Shipanga, has expressed satisfaction with his charges’ preparations for the upcoming Cosafa u20 2026 showdown pencilled from 18 to 27 September in Mozambique. Namibia will open their campaign for the TotalEnergies CAF u20 Afcon, Cosafa qualifiers on 18 September, against Mauritius in their Group A encounter. Responding to questions by The Namibian Sport Shipanga says though preparations are very positive, they were very demanding. “We started with a very large pool of players, more than 50, and the main objective was not simply to select a team, but to identify the right players who could represent Namibia at this level and potentially become future Brave Warriors. ” The coach who hails from Walvis Bay says they started with an eight-day assessment and trials camp from 22 to 29 August.

“During the camp, we focused on fitness, technical ball work and tactical understanding. We also integrated soccer games with greater intensity to test how the boys reacted under pressure and in competitive situations,” says the coach. The assessment and trials allowed the coaching staff to look at players in their natural positions and their technical abilities. He says: “ I’m pleased with the players’ fitness levels, although there is always room for improvement. ” During the eight-day assessment, Shipanga says they monitored the player’s physical condition, mentality, discipline and ability to compete at a high level. “The players responded positively to the demands of the camp, and their fitness improved as the programme progressed. The intensity of the friendly matches gave gave the coach a good indication of the team’s physical readiness and ability to maintain performance levels. OBJECTIVE Shipanga says their immediate objective…