Shooting From The Hip Carlos Kambaekwa Improperly, by definition in the queen’s lingo means being dishonest and morally wrong or not being in accordance with the accepted standard of behaviour. The dust has finally settled over the long standing feud between Sport Klub Windhoek and the Namib Premier league over allegations that the Olympia-based team made use of the services of an improperly registered player in towering striker Arend von Stryk. The German club was found guilty for improperly submitting reports on the registration of von Stryk after their opening matches in the Namib Premier League which saw them claiming the scalps of both Walvis Bay outfits Blue Waters and Eleven Arrows to claim first spot. However, a very dangerous official from the League tiptoed to the coastal teams and informed them that the player at the centre of the dispute was not properly registered leading to both teams lodging a protest. Without delving into the nitty-gritty of the whole fiasco, the question is: if SKW was found guilty why were they allowed to keep the points and walked away with a slap on the wrist fine of a paltry N$4000-00 for the wealthy club? Surely, if SKW were found to have used an improperly registered player – the most appropriate action should have been for the league to given the points at stake to the aggrieved parties (Arrows and Waters). In my opinion, the guilty verdict is full of holes and SKW should have been exonerated on the baseless charges against them. Now the league will face another legal battle as Blue Waters and Arrows could feel hard done by this weird decision. Meanwhile, the country’s football authorities are left with egg on the face in the wake of former Brave Warriors’ prodigal son Ronnie Kanalelo’s resurfacing in domestic action. In what was widely seen as a career decision at the time, the acrobatic goal-minder turned his back on his native country in an apparent bid to cement his place in the star-studded Mamelodi Sundowns lineup, an undertaking that proved to be ill-advised as the lanky Walvis Bay born lad never really managed to claim sole custody between the sticks in the Brazilians’ starting eleven, which prompted the club to offload him as a free agent. With the likes of Cameroonian midfield genius Roger Feutmba, tireless Zambian midfielder Gift Kapampa, the Nigerian pair of bulky defender Muisi Ajao and goal poacher Raphael Chukwu, as well as Malawian Ernst Mtawali completing the required foreign quota at the Tswane-based club – Kanalelo’s relationship with Sundowns was wearing thin. However, the street-wise chap from Kuisebmond spotted a loophole in the South African constitution which allows every Dick, Tom and Harry who was born in the then Walvis Bay enclave entitlement to South African citizenship. Kanalelo wasted little time and acquired South African citizenship, but since the Namibian constitution does not allow dual citizenship – the acrobatic goalkeeper was compelled to waive his birthright (albeit temporarily). Home sweet home will always be the ultimate destination, well Kanalelo is certainly not immune to the aforementioned phrase – the towering goal minder is now back home to plough back the experience gained during his spell with Sundowns where he played with and against the best footballers on the African continent. Kanalelo’s involvement in domestic football will without doubt add the much needed value to Namibian football as an Assistant Coach to the Brave Warriors and as coach of his former club Black Africa, who appear to have been rejuvenated under his guidance. And while I’m not doubting his playing ability, yours truly is a bit trifled by Kanalelo’s decision to come out of retirement to play competitive football again with his former club Black Africa where he is now doubling up as player-coach. My primary concern about Kanalelo’s return to active football is that his emergence on the domestic scene constitutes a serious conflict of interest for the simple reason that the brother is also the Assistant Coach of the Brave Warriors. What would be the consequences if any other player who posseses the potential of playing for the Warriors crosses swords with Kanalelo while opposing each other on the battle field – will that particular player be given a fair chance when it comes down to team selection or will he be exposed to the usual eye for an eye and tooth for a tooth philosophy that is so rife in Namibian football? Should Kanalelo earn a recall to the national squad which appears inevitable (obviously on merit) because of a lack of decent shot stoppers locally after the departure of the very same Kanalelo – could the armchair critics be faulted for anticipating preferential treatment for the Assistant Player-Coach? I rest my case. In the meantime, keep your ears to the ground and make damn sure you don’t miss next week’s edition of “Shooting from the Hip” as yours truly takes a thorough look at the status of non-amateur footballers in a professional setup and how some local teams that developed most of the best players are being shortchanged by those with deep pockets.