Photo Credit: Cricket Namibia
Albie Morkel has confirmed his resignation as consultant and assistant coach of the Eagles. The legendary Morkel joined National head coach Pierre de Bruyn in 2019 as assistant coach and had led the team to greater heights during his time with the team.
Morkel in a statement called his time with the Eagles “a great learning experience” and said that it is time to spend time with his family. The resignation came after the Eagles had an historic lifetime experience at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, qualifying for the Super 12 phase and playing against the best in the world.
Albie Morkel: “Reflecting on my time as assistant coach, I would firstly like to thank the Cricket Namibia Board for the opportunity they afforded me to work with the team. It was a great learning experience for me, and I’m very proud of what we have achieved. I want to thank Pierre, and I wish him well with the busy year ahead. He has done an amazing job. Special mention to the players, well done on an incredible 3 years. You can be very proud of what you achieved in this short time! All the best with your careers, I will follow with great interest.”
“For me, it is time to spend more time with my family. With my kids growing up so quickly, it’s becoming very difficult to leave them behind especially with the Covid regulations and bubble life we have to operate in. I thank you all.”
Cricket Namibia President Dr. Rudie van Vuuren says Albie is indeed a legend of modern-day cricket. “The knowledge he brought to the national team was invaluable. Together with Pierre de Bruyn they formed a perfect combination. He fitted right into the Namibian culture and helped create a culture of excellence within the Namibian senior men’s team. We wish Albie only the best and we are sure he is not lost for Cricket Namibia.”
National head coach Pierre de Bruyn expressed his gratitude towards mate Albie Morkel and says that he will certainly miss the on-field success they shared as a duo. “I want to congratulate and thank Albie for the past three years. When he agreed to take on this challenge with me in 2019, I knew that we will be a very good, balanced coaching combination. I will certainly miss the on-field success we shared with a lot of work and sacrifice behind the scenes to guide this group to the success they have had. Most importantly, in a tough industry as coaches, we had a lot of fun and enjoyment travelling the world with memories that will last forever. All the very best with your future Albs.”
Cricket Namibia CEO Johan Muller: “Albie is just a great person.In his quiet and calm way, he found the best approach to work with our players. He fits into the Namibian way of life very well, which together with his rich experience of the game contributed significantly to the players, the changeroom and the coaching structure.”
Photo Credit: Cricket Namibia & LinkedIn profile photo of Johan Muller
Muller further added that Albie was the perfect fit to Pierre and together they formed the right combination at the right time for cricket in Namibia. “I want to wish Albie all the best for his career and completely respects his decision. I wish him many happy days with Mart-Marie, AJ and Cara.”
Name of Author: Cricket Namibia
Cricket Namibia is the governing body for cricket in Namibia. Headquartered in Windhoek, the capital city, it has been an ICC Associate Member since 1992 and is also a member of the African Cricket Association.
