Windhoek
Barely a fortnight after steering the country to its first-ever victory at regional level by winning the elusive Cosafa Cup in South Africa this month – Namibian football is engulfed in turmoil again.
Local football bosses were left with egg on the face, as they struggled to keep the lid on the boiling pot of the latest shenanigans within domestic football following the shock resignation of Brave Warriors head coach Ricardo Mannetti.
Secretary-General of the Namibia Football Association (NFA) Barry Rukoro revealed the sad news during a hastily organised press conference in Windhoek yesterday afternoon.
“We are shocked and extremely disappointed to inform the general football-loving public through you the media that coach Mannetti has relinquish his duties as Brave Warriors head coach with immediate effect.”
According to Rukoro, Mannetti informed the association upon the team’s arrival from Niger on Wednesday that he no longer desired to continue in his current position and requested to be redeployed or rather reinstated to his former position as in-house coach.
Pressed as to why the coach would resign at such a crucial stage, notwithstanding the fact that his exploits were lionised by many following the team’s recent victory in the Cosafa Cup, Rukoro was at a loss for words.
“It’s an open secret that Mannetti’s contract was coming to an end after the Cosafa Cup and the association dully acted swiftly by offering him a new improved contract, which he declined.”
Though Rukoro would not be drawn into mentioning figures, insiders with intimate knowledge of the negotiations, told New Era Sport that the offer was a below the belt pittance – leaving the title-winning coach feeling undervalued.
In the meantime, Mannetti’s deputy Ronnie Kanalelo has been given the reins to take charge of the Warriors’ preparations ahead of a penultimate clash against visiting Zambia in a CHAN qualifier on home soil on Sunday.
But how would Mannetti’s sudden departure affect the morale within the camp?
“Obviously, players would always be affected by such developments but as the FA, we tried our level best to persuade him to rethink his decision but he would not budge. So, in the end, we were left with no other choice but to respect his decision and will just have to live by that.”
Rukoro informed the gathering that the NFA executive will converge in Windhoek this weekend to map the way forward.
Sources say there is more than meets the eye in Mannetti’s resignation and put the blame squarely on the shoulders of the association’s apparent failure to meet Mannetti’s financial demands.
Meanwhile, New Era Sport has established that Mannetti’s monthly perks fell way short of those of his predecessor Roger Palmgren, who was on N$70 000 a month plus free accommodation and vehicle.
Mannetti earned far less than half that amount and sought to negotiate a much-improved contract but his bosses would have none of that.
Approached to shed light on the divorce, a clearly disjointed Mannetti requested to be given more time to collect himself before he could respond to any questions pertaining to his shock departure.
“I’m not in the right of mind as we speak now because my old man has taken ill and I have more pressing families issues to attend to.”