Collin Benjamin played for German clubs Hamburg and 1860 Munich, where he was also part of the coaching team
Former Hamburg defender Collin Benjamin has been appointed the new coach of Namibia on a five-year contract.
The 43-year-old replaces Bobby Samaria, who was appointed as interim coach in 2019 but eventually lasted three years in the role.
After his 10 years at Hamburg Benjamin ended his playing career in Germany at 1860 Munich, where he then spent time in the club's coaching set-up.
Benjamin, who won 41 caps for Namibia and captained his country, said he was up to the "daunting" challenge of coaching the Brave Warriors - but would require "resources to accomplish the task ahead" of him.
Namibia began their 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign with a 1-1 draw against Burundi in neutral Johannesburg earlier this month.
However, they have improved chances of reaching the tournament in Ivory Coast next year as Group C has been reduced to three teams because Kenya were removed while they serve a ban from global football.
The top two teams will qualify for the Nations Cup finals, and Namibia face World Cup-bound Cameroon home and away in September.
Namibia's last appearance at the continental finals was in 2019, after previous outings in 1998 and 2008.
However, Benjamin's first challenge will be leading the Brave Warriors at Southern Africa's regional championship, the Cosafa Cup, which begins on 5 July in Durban.
Namibia, who won the title in 2015, have been given a bye into the quarter-finals of the tournament where they will take on Madagascar
