Murmurs have it that some rowdy clubs in the newly-established Debmarine Namibia Premiership have staged a silent protest, and have apparently indicated to the Namibia Football Association (NFA) that they are not “ready” to commence with the new season this weekend.
The much-anticipated Debmarine Namibia Premiership, as the Namibia Premier Football League (NPFL) will now be known, is set to start its 2022/23 season this Sunday with a clash between Katutura glamour football club African Stars and Unam at the Hage Geingob Stadium in the capital.
The Fifa/NFA Normalisation Committee has equally indicated that all is set for Sunday’s kick-off and that the league sponsor – Debmarine Namibia – is similarly excited to witness this new journey and the eventual return of football to local shores.
But amidst all this anticipation and excitement, rumours have now surfaced that some clubs are playing delay tactics and trying to stage a silent protest against the Normalisation Committee’s decision to start the league this weekend.
The protesting clubs, who had ties with the NPFL and were initially strongly opposed to the reintegration of former Namibia Premier League (NPL) clubs into the new Debmarine Namibia Premiership, are said to be feeling as if they have “lost ownership” with the establishment of the Debmarine Premiership.
The clubs, I am told, were expecting to retain some sort of ‘control’ in the Debmarine Namibia Premiership as they did in the former NPFL, which was established by the previous NFA leadership with the influence and interference of the disgraced “Progressive Forces”.
But to their surprise, the current Normalisation Committee has proven to be a different kettle of fish as they have made the Debmarine Namibia Premiership a league for all football-loving Namibians, especially for those clubs with football’s best interest at heart.
I must applaud the Normalisation Committee for taking various bold steps to bring football back to the people despite the unending noise from the many naysayers and self-anointed football gurus.
Those protesting Progressive Forces-aligned clubs must recover from their hangover and realise that football is officially starting this Sunday and not even their misplaced self-centredness will stand in the way of the Debmarine Namibia Premiership.
No amount of lobbying or insults on the personas of football-loving Namibians will stop the ball from rolling in the Debmarine Namibia Premiership this Sunday. The bus has moved my Progressive Forces friends, and I say it’s time to wake up and smell the coffee!
The Normalisation Committee must put its foot down and ensure that football returns this weekend without any hindrance because they have a moral and contractual obligation to safeguard the integrity and brand of Debmarine Namibia as a partner and as a world-renowned entity.
Football will kick off this Sunday and I call upon all local football lovers to flock in their hundreds to the Hage Geingob Stadium to witness African Stars dusting off some unwanted rust against the unpredictable Unam FC. The Debmarine Namibia Premiership is here and it’s upon us!!
Until next time, sharp sharp!