Just a couple of weeks ago, local football fans found themselves celebrating the good news that MTC has backtracked on its resolution to pull the plug on the country’s cash-strapped and leaderless flagship football league, the Namibia Premier League (NPL).
Sadly, the joy was to be short-lived as football’s heavyweights are rolling up their sleeves, unashamedly fleshing their muscles in an attempt to dribble past and taking pot shots at each other in the comfort of their air-conditioned boardrooms, while the real McCoys of the game, the players, are suffering irreparable damage to their careers and livelihood.
Yours truly is a bit worried about the fashion in which our football is administered, to say the least. It seems to me there are hopelessly too many attention-seekers in the annals of our football, with those entrusted to act as adjudicators turning themselves to actors.
As it stands, Namibian football is being unintentionally held hostage by blokes who seem to be more interested in demonstrating their self-confessed superior way of thinking, as well as their interpretation of the rules and regulations governing the game of football.
Lest we forget, there’s an old saying that when two elephant lock horns, the grass suffers the most damage. Well, this is exactly what is going on in the corridors of Football House.
Needless to point out, our football industry is in serious crises and unless the current situation is arrested and very soon, the beautiful game will become a sought-after delicacy for stray dogs.
Is it really so difficult for the men in blue suits to swallow their pride and admit their mistakes? I’m just asking.
Yours truly is inclined to believe these blokes are role models for many of us, but how the bloody hell do we classify such irresponsible people as role models if they have made it their sole beat to throw their toys at the slightest provocation? I’m just asking.
I’m not trying to dictate to football administrators how to run the game, but I’m obliged by duty and conscience to point out certain wrongs within the beautiful-turned ugly game.
Without beating about the bush, football officials are acting and behaving as if they are in charge of their own businesses or some nil-star little kambashus, forgetting they are elected officers who can be removed at any given time should they fail to execute their functions as prescribed by their mandate
It should be noted that people don’t become successful by accident, it entails a significant chunk of various components, such as the know-how to negotiate and possess the ability to wangle yourself out of tight corners and more importantly, honesty and accountability.
How can these self-proclaimed football gurus feel proud of themselves if their subjects are not proud of them? I’m just wondering.
With time running out, I’m shivering like a fired-up boere orkes, praying that sponsors will not get fed up and show us the middle finger again as a result of the seemingly unending squabbles.
My genuine and simple advice is this: for the sake of unity, let’s forget about the constitutional technicalities that led to all these unwanted endless misunderstandings.
It’s now my humble plea to urge all stakeholders to sit around the table, and talk it out heart to heart, like real outies, to map the way forward without further delay, unless we are out to cannibalise our own business.
Let the games begin!
I rest my case.