New Banyana Banyana coach, Vera Pauw said she is excited to start a new journey with the South African Senior Women’s national team.
Newly-appointed coach of the Sasol-sponsored Banyana Banyana, Vera Pauw said she is excited to start a new journey with the South African Senior Women’s national team.
Her immediate task is to prepare the team for the 2014 edition of the CAF African Women’s championship set for Windhoek, Namibia later this year.
The continental spectacle will be used as qualifiers for the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup to be staged in Canada and Pauw is aware of the task that lies ahead.
The Netherlands-born coach, who arrived in the country on Monday (17 March) will for the first time meet 40 new faces when the team assembles for a selection and training camp that will kick-off on Wednesday, 19-23 March at the University of Pretoria’s (TUKS) High Performance Centre.
“I am so excited to be here and starting this new journey with the South African Women’s National team. This is going to be a new and thrilling experience.
“My first official assignment is playing Comoros in the qualifiers. I am looking forward to the experience and want to see the girls qualify for AWC,” said Pauw.
Banyana Banyana finished as silver medallists in the previous edition of the African Women’s Championship in Equatorial Guinea and will be looking to impress the new coach ahead of the AWC qualifiers against Comoros scheduled for the end of May.
The Banyana Banyana squad will consist of home-based players but will include Iceland-based goalkeeper, Roxanne Barker who is in the country.
“I have studied video footage of Comoros games extensively and have a good knowledge of their tactical awareness. I want to build a strong squad that will take us to Namibia and get us as far as Canada,” said Pauw.