Yours truly must confess to have been slightly disturbed by a statement issued by Black Africa’s sharp-tongue media officer, one Cassius Moetie, in the build-up to tonight’s potential league title decider between the undisputed Namibian champions and team of the moment, Tigers Football Club.
As much as I respect the brother’s constitutional right to freedom of expression, football is a game of respect and should be treated accordingly. There is a worrisome tendency among our folks to systematically overestimate their knowledge and ability to predict – on a massive scale.
This overconfidence in effect does not deal with whether single estimates are correct or not, rather it measures the difference between what people really know and what they think they know. For the simple reason that one has a direct interest in the outcome of the result should not be used as an incentive to underestimate the opposition.
Realistically speaking, Tigers will have the edge going into tonight’s penultimate clash of the titans knowing that a draw or defeat will still keep them up there on the summit while defeat for Black Africa will open an unwanted six-point deficit. If current form is anything to go by, the MTC Premiership log leaders should be considered firm favourites to add another scalp to their list of victims.
Having won the coveted league title three times in succession, it’s only logical to suggest that the majority of BA’s playing personnel have lost the hunger and desire to win things as can be attested by the slow and somewhat sluggish start to their title defence that has seen the Gemengde-based outfit lose against the league’s new boys United Stars.
From my personal observation, Tigers are still a work in progress and cannot be classified as a finished product yet, while the BA players appear to be going through the motions with their minds probably fixed on the much-anticipated participation in the Africa Club Champions League.
BA coach Brian Isaacs will be better advised to make up his mind and have a settled starting eleven with his most valuable player Awilo Stephanus drafted into the lineup.
Apart from African Stars’ veteran versatile playmaker Jamu Ngatjizeko, Stephanus is one of very few footballers in our domestic set-up that possesses that rare ability to control and dictate the pace of the match when the situation demands.
It will be quite interesting for the paying customers to witness the highly anticipated midfield battle between the quartet of Stephanus, Seun Haoseb (BA) and Protash Kabwe and Letu Shatimuene (Tigers). These are gifted footballers playing football in the simple way it should be played.
Tonight’s match promises to have all the desired ingredients of a real humdinger and one really hopes football lovers will put aside club loyalty (at least for the time being) and rock up in large numbers to witness firsthand one of the greatest football matches on display in the modern era of Namibian football. Take nothing away from Bobby Samaria’s fired-up charges, they are not sitting at the top by luck even though the doubting Thomases claim they have not really been tested against formidable opponents.
Tigers have been playing some ‘harde gat” entertaining football while keeping shape at the back this season and tonight’s clash could be just what the good doctor ordered for Tigers to make a serious statement about their genuine title credentials. I rest my case.
BY Carlos Kambaekwa