AS yours truly was penning down this column, the Namibia Premier League (NPL) was on the verge of announcing its new sponsor, with all indications pointing to a much-improved and lucrative deal from their usual financial backers, MTC, barring an act of God.
Under the wings of MTC, the country’s flagship football league has grown in leaps and bounds financially and one must give MTC and the league’s leadership a pat on the back for ensuring that football clubs are well taken care of financially. As much as the league hierarchy has pledged its commitment towards improving the overall standard of domestic football at the highest level of competition – there are a few thorny issues that need to be dealt with as a matter of urgency before we can claim that our football is on the right track. For starters, the NPL should take the leading role and start walking the talk in the area of football development and in this aspect I mean the plight of football teams campaigning in the badly neglected Southern and Northern Stream division one leagues. There is an urgent need to close the gap between the elite league and its feeder leagues, which are the twin first division streams.
Anyway, the overall format of these two leagues is totally out of sync and needs to be revisited if those entrusted to administer the beautiful game are to remain loyal and committed to their mandate as credible football administrators. To put it bluntly, it goes beyond any comprehension as to how on bloody earth regional teams are directly promoted to the national elite league in the absence of national play-offs. Is it really so difficult to adjust the skewed current format by introducing an acceptable format where the top two teams from each region will contest the final play-off in a round robin four-team group. The four-team play-offs will determine the two teams to be promoted to the country’s flagship league, since such a format will in reality be more representative and truly national, while encouraging only the best teams to graduate to the elite league. Or perhaps it is just a flagrant disregard for logical thinking, punctuated by sheer arrogance and the same old, same old and unflagging ‘know it all’ syndrome in operation.
I for one will be remiss in my duty if I do not acknowledge the progress and strides the NPL has made under the stewardship of Johnny ‘JJD’ Doeseb, since the flamboyant mining and business mogul took over the reigns in 2009, as evidenced by the amount of money that goes directly to the clubs without having to raise an ounce of sweat via the handsome monthly grant. Now, the onus is surely on some of the clubs to reciprocate MTC‘s largesse or investment if you choose, in a fair manner by returning the compliment by generating respectable mileage by attracting decent crowds to their home matches with the exception of Katutura glamour football club African Stars, and to a lesser extend FNB Orlando Pirates, Rundu Chiefs and Black Africa. Surely, the remaining teams in the 12-team elite league are duty-bound to their sponsors and football fans in general to aggressively beef up their marketing departments in order to attract people en masse to their matches. This noble idea can only be realized if teams adopt the simple notion of playing attractive football that can convince people to go through the turnstiles on match day and this is exactly where a team such as Tura Magic enters the fray. Yours truly, including those who have a bit of understanding on how football should be played will surely pay any kind of money to go and watch the likes of Neville Tjiueza, Enrico Hoebeb, Image Isaaks, Awilo Stephanus, Emilio Martin, Boetietjie Seibeb, Junias Theofelus, Kalusha Al-Hassan, Riaan Cloete, Brian Gurirab, Balack Somseb and Tebs Lombard go about their business on the football pitch.
And finally before I wrap up, league authorities will certainly not escape my wrath over the conspicuous absence of a Dispute Resolution Chamber to deal with the so many unresolved disputes and dozens of outstanding disciplinary matters. These outstanding cases have the potential of bringing the game of football into disrepute and are generally the culmination of unruly behaviour by supporters, while clubs are also in the habit of not adhering to basic rules governing the game of football and whenever the league takes action the complaints are usually swept under the carpet with the habitual culprits going unpunished or in the rare event of sanctions being passed, the outcome coming in the form a gentle slap on the wrist by being dispatched to Coventry. I rest my case.
By Carlos Kambaekwa