By Carlos Kambaekwa
WINDHOEK – The recently ill-fated Namibia Football Association (NFA) Elective Congress has left a sting in the tail.
Word going around is that disgruntled members who are not in favour of Frans Mbidi’s triumph have been burning the midnight oil to lobby support for a breakaway rebel Super League consisting of sixteen teams.
The identity of the disgruntled members behind the mooted idea to form a rebel Super League is known to New Era Sports, and among them are prominent football personalities that are reportedly still having an axe to grind with the current leadership of the country’s football authorities.
Those with intimate knowledge of underhand dealings confirmed to New Era Sports that the group was irked by presidential candidate Ranga Haikali’s failure to wrestle power from the long-serving current NFA Executive.
Haikali and his allies walked out of the NFA Elective Congress earlier this month, citing irregularities during the proceedings. His action allowed his rival Frans Mbidi a free path to contest the plum presidential position unopposed.
Both FIFA observers and the local Independent Elective Commission (IEC) declared the election free and fair, but the disgruntled party would have none of that and has apparently vowed to pay the democratically elected members back in their own coin.
In 1985, the quartet of the late astute SWAPO politician Danny Tjongarero, Oscar Mengo, Five Hochobeb and Stanley Kozonguizi, were instrumental in the inevitable establishment of the strong 8-team Namibia Soccer Super League (NSSL) – breaking away from national structures to form the then popular rebel league.
However, such an undertaking could pose serious repercussions, as talented footballers will miss out on national selection while aspiring professional footballers would also be at grave disadvantage, falling short when it comes to international transfers.
World’s football governing body, FIFA does not recognise two different factions to operate within the same territory and will in all likelihood condemn such a move.
Approached whether he was aware of the latest maneuverings, MTC Premiership charismatic chairman Johnny “JJD” Doeseb, laughed off the suggestion saying there are regulations and rules that govern football in Namibia describing such ideas as cowardice and totally outside the spirit of nation building.
“I heard the rumours about this envisaged Super League, but we are not running a bush football league and will never condone such sabotaging ideas,” said a clearly disturbed Doeseb.
Meanwhile, Ranga Haikali, has distanced himself from this cartel, erasing any lingering thoughts that he might be the ringleader behind the envisaged rebel league.