WINDHOEK – The Namibian Football Association (NFA) has come under heavy attack by a disgruntled club official, who puts the blame for the quagmire in which the Erongo division two league currently finds itself entangled squarely on the shoulders of the country’s football governing body.
According to Wycliff Martin, regional football in that neck of the woods is virtually non-existent with teams playing without following set rules.
“Local clubs have taken it upon themselves to regulate rules while people who are not familiar with the game show little respect, if any, for rules and regulations of the game.
“The blame should be directed at the NFA which seems not to respect their own constitution, rules and regulations within its own structures.”
Martin pointed out the ongoing shenanigans within the Erongo league where things are ostensibly not done by the book – leading to lower league activities ending prematurely.
He further charges that teams completed their league assignments in one single round as opposed to the customary practice of two rounds.
“The league was conducted without an executive after the entire executive resigned halfway through the season – thus leaving a vacuum that led to a free-for-all scenario.”
He accused the NFA of incorrectly endorsing the election of new leaders, adding the decision was totally out of sync, with the NFA failing to apply the correct procedures. “Strangley, teams that finished in the top half of the log standings were allowed to particpate in the promotion play-offs despite the league not having been concluded.”
Martin also took issue with the shoddy fashion in which the NFA hirarchy dealt with clubs that defaulted on their affiliation fees.
“Two clubs that have not paid their affiliation fees were expelled after the very same NFA allowed the offenders to feature in the first five opening matches, only to deduct points from the teams that have garnered points against Zula Molest and United Stars,” charged the clearly agitated Martin.
Titus Kunamwene is the chief coordinator of the country’s lower leagues and provides a different version as to why the Erongo lower league was abbreviated.
“League activities in the Erongo second division kicked off very late as a result of some logistical hiccups beyond our control – whereupon all the particpating teams were in unison to have the league shortened and played over just one round. He (Wycliff Martin) is a signatory to that agreement and we have scientific proof to support that undertaking. As far as we are concerned, the 2013/2014 term of the Erongo league is concluded,” Kunamwene dismisses Martin’s claims.
Erongo 2nd division final log standings
Names P W Pts
1 Northern Stars 10 8 24
2 Mighty Youngsters 10 6 20
3 Namibian Navy 10 6 20
4 Sailors United 10 6 20
5 Swakopmund 10 5 16
6 Western Spurs 10 4 14
7 Sorento Bucs 10 4 14
8 Blue Birds 10 3 10
9 Young Eleven 10 2 8
10 Swakop United 10 2 6
11 Tuta Super Eagles 10 1 3
12 United Stars 0 0 0
13 Zula Molest 0 0 0