The Malaysian Insider :: Sports
The Malaysian Insider :: Sports |
| Video game puts coach on road to World Cup glory Posted: 12 Jun 2013 03:12 AM PDT WINDHOEK (Namibia) , June 12 — A coach whose enthusiasm for the trade was forged by the 'Football Manager' video game will be thrown into the deep end on Wednesday when Namibia host African champions Nigeria in a World Cup qualifier. Ricardo Mannetti, 38, won more than 60 caps for his country, played at the African Nations Cup finals and was a professional in the league in neighbouring South Africa but had no desire to coach. It was only after hours of playing the video game with his brother-in-law that his interested was fired. Seven years later he takes charge of Namibia for the first time hoping for an upset victory that will keep alive their remote hopes of qualifying for next year's finals in Brazil. "I wasn't into video games before that, I never had any interest in playing them, but Football Manager captured my imagination," Mannetti told Reuters in an interview on Tuesday. "I was always winning and everyone said it proved I would make a good coach." Shortly after retiring from playing, Mannetti accepted an offer to coach his boyhood club in Windhoek after they were almost relegated. "I thought 'let me give a shot' and that's how I got into the job," he said. He won the Namibian Cup in his first season, finished second in the league and soon after moved on to the country's biggest club, Black Africa. In 2010 the Namibia Football Association brought Mannetti in to work with their junior teams. He was then serving as an assistant to national coach Roger Palmgren when the Swede suddenly resigned on Monday after a month in the job, citing fears for his safety after an alleged altercation with a drunken fan. "I've seen managers come and go but I didn't see that one coming," said Mannetti. "I'm a little bit nervous if I'm honest. "It's a big challenge for me and I just want the nation to shift the focus now from Roger on to the game." Mannetti said he had to move quickly to plot his strategy against Group F leaders Nigeria who have four points more than third-placed Namibia after four of their six matches. One downside, he added, was that it meant there was no more time for video games. — Reuters |
| Josiah Ng wins 1km time trial in National Track Cycling Championship Posted: 12 Jun 2013 02:12 AM PDT KUALA LUMPUR, June 12 — National track cyclist Josiah Ng showed his prowess by winning men's elite 1km Time Trial in the National Track Cycling Championships at the Kuala Lumpur Velodrome in Cheras, here, today. Josiah Ng who had last won a time trial event three years ago in Melbourne, Australia, had no problem overcoming six other riders, clocking 1 minute 07.927 seconds to take the title. The 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games gold medallist in the Keirin event said he was happy with the win because his equipments were not complete as compared with other riders who were younger and well equipped. "I'm older than them but they have 'viral' tired right now," he said after the race. Perak's Muhamad Edrus Md Yunos clocked 1:09.490s to finish second while Muhd Arfy Qhairant Amran from Melaka finished third with a time of 1:09.731s. Josiah Ng hoped Malaysia would continue to be a power in cycling events with the like of world class riders like Mohd Azizulhasni Awang and Fatehah Mustapa. He added that based on recent results and statistics, Malaysian riders were not far behind riders from other parts of the world. — Bernama |
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