Carlos Kambaekwa
25 August 2008
Windhoek — Ramblers skipper and Brave Warriors' towering defender Michael "Dolam Tower" Pienaar will be lost Namibian football after the lanky defender alongside Orlando Pirates' centre back Steven Goagab, signed two year contracts with South African first division Bethlehem outfit Kara Kicks - the feeder team to Free State Stars.
Meanwhile, Ramblers has rubbished recent media reports linking its leading striker John Samson to ambitious Orlando Pirates.
The veteran Sierra Leone goal-poacher has been linked with a move to Pirates together with defender Gerry Keister, but the Tunchel Street-based outfit is adamant Samson is going nowhere. The club also find themselves entangled in a tug of war with city rivals Civics over the services of striker Pineas Jacob.
The league's top goal scorer is reportedly on the wanted list of Civics and the Pionierspark-based outfit has vowed to fight tooth and nail in a last ditch effort to keep its most prized asset and have accused their rivals of poaching.
"Look, it's not our policy to keep unhappy players at our club but it should be taken into consideration that we run this club as a business entity and some of these players have signed legal contracts that run up to December, and we surely expect our partners to respect the terms of their contractual obligation," said an irate member of the executive.
Elsewhere, Orlando Pirates ageing striker Paulus "Wire" Shipanga has developed itchy feet and the veteran winger is currently on trial in Port Elizabeth - trying to revive his ailing professional career with newly promoted PSL side Bay United.
Pirates' agile goal keeper Athiel Mbaha has been snapped up by newly promoted Maritzburg United in the PSL, while Civics' stocky winger Victor Helu is trying his luck with an unnamed club in the South African second tier division.
Meanwhile, Brave Warriors mentor Tom Saintfit has roped in Eleven Arrows' and National Under-20 talented midfielder Akio van Wyk into the Warriors setup ahead of the team's preparations for the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Kenya next month.
A sizeable pool of locally-based players went into camp last night for a five-day training camp but the squad would be trimmed down to a manageable 18 before the team's departure to Nairobi for their penultimate clash against the Harambee Stars on the 6th of next month.
Namibia must overcome Kenya and beat Zimbabwe in its last match at home to activate its fading hopes for a third appearance at the 27th edition of the African Cup of Nations to be hosted by Angola in 2010.
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