Namibia defender Ryan Nyambe is set to become the first player from his country to play in the English Premiership [EPL], and Orlando Pirates star Deon Hotto has reacted.
The Pirates winger is a key member of Namibia’s Brave Warriors, alongside Peter Shalulile. He has revealed that he cannot hold back his joy at his international teammate becoming the first player to ply his trade in the England top flight.
Nyambe recently joined the newly promoted Wigan Athletic on an initial one-year deal from Blackburn Rovers. The 24-year-old defender signed for Latics after spending 11 years with Blackburn, having joined them as a 13-year-old before making over 200 first-team appearances.
Nyambe has represented the Namibian national team in the African Cup of Nations and World Cup qualifiers during the past three years. Speaking to FARPost, Hotto is optimistic that his fellow countryman will excel at his new club given his robustness, mobile and fearlessness as he has played with him at the international level.
“He is a very good player. A young player who is very strong and shoulders responsibility,” the former Bidvest Wits man told this publication.
Hotto touched on the importance of having players who ply their trade overseas because it comes with opportunities for opening doors for others and growth to the national team in terms of performance.
“It is something good for our country. We are very happy that we are going to have a player that will be playing in the Premier League. It’s like when Benni McCarthy and Shaun Bartlet left South Africa for Europe. It was something great, and scouts started checking out players from South Africa,” he added.
“You know, it is always like that when there is a player signing for a team that side [Europe] from a certain African country. This move will open doors for more Namibian players to get deals abroad, and in turn, it will be beneficial to our national team to do better and be able to compete with the best in the world.”
Meanwhile, Nyambe, on signing his contract with Wigan, spoke about the importance of doing the right things on and off the pitch to enjoy a successful season. “The Championship is a very hard league. For me personally, I have played so many games because I have tried to do things properly,” Nyambe told Latics TV.
“It’s going to be a difficult season, but as long as we do everything right, I think we’ve got a chance. The team’s style of play is also quite unique, so I’m looking forward to that.”
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