Barry Rukoro, the former Namibia Football Association (NFA) secretary general, may be making a comeback to football after a hiatus of over three years, albeit in a role yet to be disclosed.
Speculation of his return to Football House, from where he was escorted with the assistance of the police in 2019, has been rife since Rukoro was recently spotted shaking hands with the NFA president, sparking rumours about his potential return to the sport in some capacity.
In an interview on the ‘Game Time with Marco’ podcast hosted on the New Era online platforms, he shed light on his discussions with NFA president Robert Shimooshili, regarding possible opportunities within the association.
Addressing the swirling rumours, Rukoro revealed “We’ve been in ongoing discussions about potential roles for me within the NFA. While I can’t pinpoint a specific position yet, the president and I have explored various avenues.
Drawing from my wealth of experience, I could serve as an advisor, chair a committee, or lead delegations to international events.”
He also mentioned upcoming plans involving the Council of Southern Africa Football Associations (Cosafa), which has sought assistance from member federations.
Rukoro disclosed: “Cosafa has approached the NFA and other affiliated members to nominate individuals for the Cosafa U/17 committee.
Through the NFA, the president approached me to lend my expertise in this capacity, given my previous leadership roles in similar positions.”
Commenting on the financial dispute involving the Brave Warriors during the 2024 African Cup of Nations (Afcon), he expressed his belief that a lack of understanding from both parties has led to the unfolding situation.
“I don’t blame the group, including the players and officials. It’s evident that there’s a lack of comprehension about how things operate, which has contributed to this situation recurring. With proper knowledge and understanding, negotiations could have been handled more effectively. Unfortunately, that understanding was lacking,” he remarked.
Having served as the head of the NFA secretariat for nearly 12 years, Rukoro, who is als a businessman and farmer, was escorted out of Football House in 2019 under the leadership of Hilda Basson-Namundjebo, who headed the Fifa Normalisation Committee at the time.
- mkambukwe@nepc.com.na