Windhoek: The head coach of the Namibian men's senior football team for the two international friendly matches, John Sikerete, has said the locally based squad that travelled with him gained invaluable experience from their outing. The Brave Warriors, as the senior squad is affectionately known, were defeated 1-0 and 4-0 by Comoros on Friday and Monday respectively in their friendly matches at the Malouzini International Stadium near Moroni.

According to Namibia Press Agency, in an interview shared with the media by the Namibia Football Association on Tuesday, Sikerete said the primary objective of the trip to the island nation was to assess emerging talent and test how a fully local side would fare at international level. 'The tour was designed to prepare and identify which youngsters are capable of competing at an international level, while also testing the overall strength of a squad selected entirely from domestic clubs,' he said.

Sikerete stated that the team performed better in the opening match, but tactical adjustments by Comoros saw Namibia struggle in their second encounter. 'One thing we must understand is that Comoros had already played against us, and their coach thoroughly studied our weaknesses. They knew exactly where to exploit us, and I did not have enough depth to rotate, especially in the wing-back positions. They exposed those areas. We conceded from the right in the first match, and today they targeted the left,' he said.

He added that the squad's youthfulness made it difficult for them to cope with the tactical discipline displayed by their opponents. 'These are young boys. They could not contain the tactical orientation of the other team, which identified vulnerabilities in our defensive line. Our preparation for this game also played a role in the difficulties we faced. Domestic football in Namibia is still in its early stages, with clubs having played only five league matches so far. The players are simply not ready,' he said.

With Namibia preparing for the African Nations Championship (CHAN), where only locally based players compete, Sikerete believes that by next year, when teams have completed between 14 and 18 matches, players will be in far better condition for international competition. 'If you look at the players now, they have played only five domestic fixtures before coming to an international event, and they come from different clubs. It is a big leap, but the exposure gained during this tour will accelerate their development,' Sikerete said.