Windhoek – The harbour town of Walvis Bay in the vast Erongo region will play host to a four-team football tourney – headlined as the Charity Coastal Mini Tournament – at Kuisebmond Stadium on Saturday.
The two-day mini football bonanza features hosts Eleven Arrows, eternal rivals PC Blue Waters, Namibia Premiership (NPL) returnees Life Fighters, aka ‘Okahirona’ and the league’s new boys: the exciting and youthful Oshakati outfit, Young Chiefs Football Club.
With a cloud of uncertainty hovering over the immediate future of domestic football, few clubs campaigning in the country’s ineffective and financially crippled topflight football league are still conducting their business as usual, while others have resolved to close shop, albeit temporarily.
Ambitious Otjiwarongo-based Life Fighters have been itching for competitive action since their return to the country’s elite league and this weekend’s coastal journey will be used as a yardstick to measure and define their actual strengths and more importantly, the players’ competitive edge.
The youthful Orwetoveni outfit is yet to reveal the identity of their new arrival. However, in their near-faultless campaign for promotion to the country’s elite football league (NPL) Okahirona depended largely on young and relatively inexperienced untested homegrown footballers with absolutely no premiership football exprience whatsoever.
With the current situation of no competitive league football in NPL, it means no earnings for players, as has been the case over the years. Life has become extremely tough for players, coaches, administrators, referees, clubs, and football followers, as well as their immediate families.
The ongoing financial woes in domestic football have left many footballers in despair with no income, a situation that has left many athletes destitute.
It is now a national issue that significantly affects the youth, more importantly their immediate families. The players’ mental fortitude while enduring the lowered standard of living is likely to be affected and may result in low self esteem.
It is against this background that Eleven Arrows FC came up with the initiative, in conjunction with all head coaches of the clubs involved, to support Saturday’s Charity Coastal Mini Tournament.
The tourney will be played on a round-robin basis with the two group winners set to contest the final on Sunday.
Event organisers have approached local companies to support their initiative, but should potential sponsors not come on board, proceeds accrued from gate-takings will be divided as follows: 30: 30: 20: 20 on average percentage to enable traveling teams to cover their transport and accommodation costs.
Competition Rules:
Teams must be ready for inspection and warm-up 30 minutes before kick-off.
Teams are allowed to make seven substitutions during a match.
If teams are equal on points, the golden rule on away goals will apply.
The gates open at 10h00.
Saturday, October 29
12h00 Eleven Arrows vs Life Fighters
14h00 Young Chiefs vs LH Blue Waters
16h00 Life Fighter vs Young Chiefs
18h00 LH Blue Waters vs Eleven Arrows
Sunday, October 30
08h00 Eleven Arrows vs Young Chiefs
10h00 LH Blue Waters vs Life Fighters
12h00 Under-13 Youth Soccer development match
14h00 Final kick-off of Winner 1 vs Winner 2