Football: African Nations Championship (Chan)-Seychelles can beat Zimbabwe, says coach Nees |20 May 2010
German coach Michael Nees made this statement yesterday morning in an interview with
After the Brave Warriors of Namibia, it’s the turn of the Warriors of Zimbabwe to clash heads with Seychelles on Saturday at 4.30pm at Stad Linite for a place in the final stage of the Chan in Sudan next year.
Six years after leaving Seychelles in a controversial manner and being at odds with the Seychelles Football Federation (SFF), Mr Nees said he has buried the hatchet and is thrilled to be back.
“What happened then is history. I live in the present and hope for a better future,” he said.
“Not everything you plan works out the way you want. And it is not necessarily worse. It would have been ironic for me to come and work here and still carry ill-feelings.
“If I did not believe in the players’ ability I would not have come back to help the Seychelles national team. I don’t doubt the players’ skills and I know they can do something good for the country.”
Coach Nees added: “The young potential players I worked with during my first stint from 2002-2004 are now the leaders on the pitch. I’m proud of them because I don’t have to start from scratch, and our target is to go out on to the pitch on Saturday and give our best.”
Mr Nees has been released from his duties as an education officer with the South African Football Association (Safa) under the German Football Federation’s (DFB) co-operation agreement with the 2010 World Cup hosts to work here for one month – May 9 to June 6.
Regarding Saturday’s game, coach Nees said that although it’s not easy as they have to work during the day time, his players have been training regularly except for footballer of the year Steve Henriette.
“Zimbabwe is not Namibia. This is another level, and the players have to be prepared mentality and physically for the two-legged qualifier,” he said.
“It’s true we beat them 2-1 at Stad Linite in the 2004 African Nations Cup qualifier with professionals Peter Ndlovu and Benjani Mwaruwari on the field. We can do it over again, but only if the players stay concentrated.”
Strikers Alpha Baldé and Philip Zialor scored a goal apiece for Seychelles in the 2-1 victory that ranks among one of Seychelles’ best.
Absent from the squad for the previous matches against Namibia, seasoned striker Zialor has been recalled to the team, and coach Nees said he can do a good job.
“He might not get to start the match, but he can be dangerous coming off the bench. He is an additional weapon in our artillery,” he said.
“We also hope that our defence doesn’t leak easy goals. We have to stay tight at the back,” added coach Nees, who said thanks to his previous experience here, it took him just two days to settle down in the job.
He noted that although he has not had the time to watch all the players in action and has had to rely on information received from the federation, the present group of 28 players are doing fine.
“I would have preferred to have the players in camp right now, but we are doing the best we can to get them in the right shape of mind. They also must develop a proper psychological attitude to competition to reach the highest level,” he said.
The German tactician added that Zimbabwe have a top striker in Mamelodi Sundowns-bound Mushekwi Nyasha.
“The 22-year-old hitman is a very dangerous, a tall and intelligent player. We need to keep an eye on him during the match,” he said.
Coach Nees added that he saw Zimbabwe play against South Africa in a friendly in January and they beat Zambia 3-1 in the Cosafa Cup final in 2009.
“Zimbabwean football is on a high. Club side CAPS United are doing very well in the African Confederations Cup and some of its best players, including Mushekwi, are to move to the South African Premier League in July.
“They can play very well on their day and be beaten the next. No one can predict the outcome of football matches anymore. The players have the key to success on the pitch,” he concluded.
Playing in the Chan for the first time, Seychelles progressed to the final qualifying round with a 2-1 aggregate win over the Brave Warriors of Namibia under the guidance of Dutch technical adviser Jan Mak.
After Wilnes Brutus scored with a 56th minute header for a 1-0 home win, the country’s team rescued a 1-1 away draw in the return leg of the southern zone qualifier at the Sam Nujoma Stadium.
Captain Don Anacoura scored for Seychelles with a 25-metre shot into the righthand corner of the net in the 26th minute, before Heini Isaacks beat advancing keeper Nelson Sopha to slam the ball into an empty net for a 1-1 draw.
Zimbabwe, who earned a 2-1 away victory in the first leg at the Somhlolo stadium in Mbabane, advanced to the second round 5-1 on aggregate following a 3-0 home victory over Swaziland at the Rufaro stadium in Harare.
G. G.