Ryan Nyambe has headed back to his native Namibia where he hopes setting up coaching clinics can see youngsters in his home country follow his path into professional football.

The Nyambe Football Academy will launch this week in the Namibian capital, Windhoek, offering opportunities to youngsters aged between six and 15 to receive top level coaching.

Nyambe believes the talent in Namibia is there to produce more high level players, and hopes his involvement in the coaching clinics can open doors to help them reach their potential.

The 23-year-old has clocked up over 150 appearances for Rovers and since pledging his allegiance to Namibia in 2019 and has since won seven caps for his country.

And the defender, who signed for Rovers aged 13, three years after moving to Manchester from Katima Mulilo, is keen to give something back.

“The idea came to me as soon as I was drafted into the national team and saw the talent that is around. With proper coaching and set-up these guys too can play in English and other major countries, and for me it's about doing my part to push that dream forward,” he said.

“When I went back home, I just said to myself that maybe I could do something to try and create opportunities for young children. It was something that I wanted to do.

“I was given an opportunity to come here to Rovers and to play football in England, so I just thought why not try and give other kids an opportunity and hopefully one day it can become something bigger?”

The programme will start as a soccer school with regular football camps, but Nyambe is hoping to grow it into something much bigger as time goes on.

“Hopefully, in a few years, it can grow into something bigger and maybe turn into an Academy, where we can connect the kids to clubs in Europe or something along those lines. There’s a bigger vision to it and hopefully it works out well,” he added.

“I just want what’s best for the kids at the end of the day. It’s not easy to make it over here from that side, but hopefully they can see that it’s possible. It’s important to have hope and faith, and that’s something I want to give to them.”

Nyambe is expected to spend the next six weeks in Namibia overseeing the coaching clinics at the NFA Technical Centre, with former Brave Warriors captain Ronald Ketjijere.

The Rovers Academy graduate is the highest profile player the country has produced, and his aim is to become the first Namibian to play in the Premier League.

And he wants to use his profile to help bring on the next generation.

“Our country needs us, and whatever small thing we do will go a long way in giving these youngsters the dream and motivation to go further,” Nyambe explained.

“Namibia is my home. It’s where I grew up and lived for 10 years, so it’s still a big part of me and I just want to help out and give something back in any way that I can.”