COLLIN Benjamin says he will employ "an open door policy" while in charge of the Brave Warriors.
The ex-Hamburg SV utility player penned a five year contract to become substantive head coach of the Brave Warriors with immediate effect.
One of Namibia's most successful football exports, Benjamin replaces Bobby Samaria, who held the position in interim capacity since mid-2019.
Benjamin (43) returns to the senior national team's technical crew, having previously served as assistant to then head coach Ricardo Mannetti at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, while he also headed the technical team at the Cosafa Cup that year.
Benjamin turned down the job in the aftermath of Mannetti's departure, but now says he's up to the "daunting task" which would require "resources to accomplish the task ahead of him".
"I obviously need a strong team, the support of the Namibian nation and the media. Everything is going to be done in consultation with the leadership and I think the open door policy is going to apply to everybody. We are going to listen and see what can be implemented," Benjamin said during the announcement ceremony yesterday.
The former Brave Warriors captain is expected to announce his technical team ahead of the 2022 Cosafa Cup, where Namibia are drawn to face Madagascar in the first quarter-final.
The competition will be staged in Durban, South Africa, from 5 to 17 July.
Benjamin had an illustrious career playing for German Bundesliga side Hamburg SV for 10 years before becoming an assistant coach with second division side, 1860 Munich.
He, however, gave up a promising coaching career to return home and embark on a new dream of building a football centre to help groom Namibia's new generation of footballing stars.
That experience, alongside his professionalism and passion for improving Namibian football, appears to have landed Benjamin the job.
Presenting the new head coach at NFA Soccer House, the Fifa Normalisation Committee for Namibia chairperson Bisey Uirab said due diligence was undertaken before the appointment.
"After we perused the report [from the recruitment committee] we felt comfortable that the process was transparent and it was very well done, thorough. We have decided that the candidate that was recommended to be the second candidate was a true Namibian, a compatriot with deep football spoor and who has contributed significantly in terms of his career as a footballer, but also as a coach at very high levels in Europe, in Germany to be specific, and also in our country," Uirab said.
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"We feel very comfortable that he has the necessary qualification to coach the Brave Warriors national men's team."
The long-term appointment is in keeping with the committee's objective to see stability in Namibian football.
Benjamin will get a feel for the hot seat at the upcoming Cosafa Cup, while he also has to navigate the wobbly national team through the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier thereafter.
However, Benjamin's biggest challenge will be to rebuild an ageing team with no domestic football to help replenish the ranks with new talent.
"We all know that as a country together with Botswana we are bidding for Afcon 2027. Now for us to participate in that competition, we need to have a formidable team, a team that is prepared over time. Because to participate in the continental games is not a matter of picking people a month before, hoping that you will have good results," Uirab said.
