Zebaldt Ngaruka

The ongoing delays in the start of Namibia’s top-tier football league frustrating clubs, with coaches and team officials voicing their concerns over the recurring issue. 

Each season, teams are left in limbo as they struggle with financial and tactical uncertainty caused by the inconsistent league kick-off dates.

In interviews with several Namibia Premier Football League (NPFL) coaches, a clear pattern of dissatisfaction emerged, with many urging league authorities to adopt more transparent and timely approaches.

Leading these concerns is Mighty Gunners’ head coach Gebhard
Hengari, who expressed how the delays are taking a toll on both the team’s finances and their preparation routines. 

“We are forced to plan and spend money without clarity on when the league will start,” he said. 

“Costs like player meals, medical expenses and training allowances are constant, but we still don’t know when we’ll actually compete,” he added.

He highlighted that the uncertainty is affecting the players’ mentality. 

“Players lose motivation. It’s hard to push them to their limits in training when they don’t have a concrete goal to work towards. They take it easy, and it’s frustrating for the technical staff to maintain intensity under these circumstances,” he stated.

Beyond morale and motivation, he pointed out that the club’s budget is severely stretched by the ongoing delays. 

He proposed that league administrators announce firm kick-off dates and release fixtures well in advance to help clubs plan their budgets and preparations more effectively.

African Stars’ head coach Ronnie Kanalelo shared similar frustrations, noting that his team has been training since early July, with no concrete news on when the new season will
commence. 

He was critical of the administrative delays, emphasising that the league must remain focused on football and clear of political distractions. 

“Football administrators need to distance themselves from political infighting, and concentrate on developing the sport,” he said.

 “It’s the game that suffers when we lose focus on football development,” he remarked.

The coach also recommended a more structured approach to developing football at grassroots levels. 

“We need youth football programmes and better training for coaches and administrators. The regions hold the key to Namibian football’s future, but are currently dysfunctional,” he added, stressing that lack of cohesion in regional football structures was a major impediment to the sport’s growth.

Okahandja United’s executive chairperson, Congo Hindjou, echoed similar sentiments, adding that the uncertainty surrounding the league’s start is a financial burden to smaller clubs. 

“It’s tough to plan when you don’t have clarity on when things will get moving. We are draining our resources just to keep the players ready, but the costs are mounting,” he said. 

He further noted that ongoing legal issues, like the Namibian Correctional Service’s appeal, are likely to prolong the delay.

He suggested that the league authority improve communication with clubs
and prioritises finalising the
schedule. 

“At the very least, clubs need to be compensated for the financial losses caused by these of delays,” he said, pushing for more autonomy for premier league clubs to manage their affairs without overreliance on the league administration.

Ongos Valley’s head coach Marvin Mbakera also weighed in, noting how the uncertainty has disrupted his team’s training programme. 

“Our periodisation has been thrown off completely. We’re training cautiously because we don’t want to overtrain players without knowing when the season will start,” he remarked. 

Despite these challenges, he said the delay allowed Ongos Valley to fine-tune their tactical setups, particularly in their defensive and attacking organisation.

Meanwhile, Young African’s coach Maleagi Ngarizemo, emphasised how the delayed kick-off has hindered pre-season preparations. 

“The uncertainty around the league’s start has a huge impact on how we structure our training sessions. We need clear timelines to avoid wasting resources and effort,” he said.

 -zngaruka@yahoo.com