Lively Lions undaunted by Chiefs challenge
WINDHOEK – Namibian champions Black Africa Football Club paid a courtesy call to the country’s governing sports body, the National Sports Commission (NSC) prior to the team’s departure for Johannesburg yesterday.
The Gemengde-based outfit will open their assault in the Orange Confederation of African Football (CAF) Champions League preliminary round against South African glamour football club Kaizer Chiefs at the FNB Stadium near Soweto, Johannesburg on Saturday at 20h00. “As our legendary musician, the late Jackson Kaujeua in his liberation struggle song summed it up: “The wind of change is sweeping across the continent,” so do we at Black Africa reciprocate the wind of change over the NPL for all our 23 registered footballers to be exposed to international competition through participation in the continental showpiece. We want [our participation to bring about] meaningful change to improve the current performance and Fifa ranking of the Brave Warriors,” boasted BA’s spokesperson Cassius Moetie at the briefing.
Moetie said to compete in this competition is no mean task, adding that this is an enormous commitment, which requires visionary leadership. “This is a costly exercise that obliged us to manage a budget exceeding N$720 000. Some of you may ask, but why are we unable to raise this kind of money and why did BA not start early enough to raise funds for the their campaign in the continental football showpiece. To address the current football status quo, we must make it mandatory that the champions of the domestic topflight league and the NFA Cup must have no choice to compete in these tournaments, but this mandate must follow a bold commitment from the NPL and NFA to guarantee the two champions a minimum of N$500 000.” Moetie believes it is only through that kind of robust decision-making and commitment that Namibia will see an elevation of its Fifa ranking and development that could lead to the increased export of local talent to compete in bigger and more competitive leagues around the world. “The club is unable to secure the required budget of over N$700 000 for the two-legged ties against Chiefs. We received N$200 000 from MTC, while our principal sponsors FNB committed N$100 000 in addition to the substantial amount club Chairman Ranga Haikali has committed from his personal investments.” He stressed that the club will have another source of income from gate-takings in the return fixture a fortnight later and revealed that the club has contracted Compu-Tickets to manage the printing and sale of tickets countrywide at all Shoprite/Checker outlets. The club has already printed 15 000 tickets for its home tie. Moetie applauded the NSC and all Namibians who have supported and contributed to the unrivalled achievements of the Katutura giants. The Namibian champions jetted out of the country with a travelling entourage of 37 members, which includes the entire playing personnel, technical staff, medic and management team with close to 200 supporters expected to arrive in Johannesburg on match day.
By Carlos Kambaekwa