Brave Gladiator up for CAF award

The shortlisting of Brave Gladiators playmaker Zenatha Coleman as finalist for the 2014 Confederation of African Football (CAF) Women Footballer of the year award is testament to how far local football has grown.  
This week, CAF announced that Coleman, together with Nigeria’s Desire Oparanozie and Asisat Oshoala, Cameroon’s Annette Ngo Ndom, Portia Modise of South Africa has been short-listed for the 2014 African Women’s Footballer of the Year award.  

Head of Women Football at Namibia Football Association (NFA) Jacqui Gertze said that this recognition means Namibian women football have grown to a point of continental appreciation. “This is great for Zenatha and for Namibia but it is even much greater for Women Football in Namibia. This is special. It is clear testimony of the work done in Namibian Women Football. Also clear indication that our players has grown into mature competitors at international level,” Gertze said.  Gertze added, “She never gives up, she always wants to play, she cries when she lose a match but above all, she is a great team player, therefore she is loved by her team mates and gets a lot of support from all of them.” Coleman was instrumental in Namibia’s group stage perform and exit and was the crowd favourite for the fans that packed the Sam Nujoma Stadium whenever the Gladiators took to the pitch. She scored in Namibia’s 3-1 Group A defeat to Ivory Coast, a beautiful free-kick that is talked about all over. Said Gertze,
“I think Zenatha stood out above even players with more experience in the top teams at African level, and such recognition is a huge motivation for NFA and Zenatha to go on, focus, and continue to grow her football.
The winners will be announced at the Glo-Caf Awards Gala scheduled for Thursday, January 8, 2015 in Lagos, Nigeria.