Bamfuchile in U-turn

BRAVE Warriors head coach Ben Bamfuchile and the Namibia Football Association’s acting Secretary General, Barry Rukoro, yesterday issued a joint statement vehemently denying that Bamfuchile had resigned.

The Namibian yesterday quoted Bamfuchile as saying in a telephonic interview that he had resigned as head coach, accusing his employers of being “disrespectful and careless” for failing to provide him with transport to do his job for over a year. Insiders believe that there is more to the transport issue than meets the eye.Bamfuchile called this reporter on Wednesday afternoon, breaking the news that he had resigned as coach and that he intended to go back to his native Zambia, where he owns a business.Yesterday, Bamfuchile did a U-turn, teaming up with his employers and saying that he did not tell The Namibian he planned to resign.The Namibian stands by the report published yesterday.Yesterday’s statement, signed by both Bamfuchile and Rukoro, said Bamfuchile “disassociates himself from the news report that appeared in the daily newspaper about his purported resignation from the team”.The statement read further: “He [Bamfuchile] has also stated that he has not resigned and has no intention to do so in the near future.He also regrets the compromising situation in which the NFA and the football fraternity have been put as a result of the report.”Yesterday, The Namibian quoted Bamfuchile as saying: “I am tired, I’ve had enough, I am done now.It’s over,” but he seems to have changed his tune after he was confronted by his employers about the report.The Namibian on Wednesday tried in vain to get comment from Rukoro and NFA president John Muinjo.We managed to get comment from NFA Vice President Korbinian Amutenya, who said he did not know about Bamfuchile’s resignation.On Wednesday, Bamfuchile told this reporter that Bamfuchile had not yet informed Muinjo about his resignation, but that Rukoro was aware of it.Yesterday, Rukoro denied that he knew anything about Bamfuchile’s resignation before the report was published and claimed it was “all just rumours”.When asked why Bamfuchile would make such a statement, Rukoro said Bamfuchile suffers from amnesia (memory loss) and could have forgotten what he had told The Namibian.”The man is not well.He has problems with remembering things that he says,” said Rukoro of the man, who ensured Namibia’s qualification to the 2008 African Nations Cup.Yesterday’s statement said that Bamfuchile confirmed his commitment to take the Brave Warriors to the African Nations Cup and the World Cup in 2010.Contradicting that statement, Rukoro earlier yesterday told The Namibian that because of Bamfuchile’s ill health the NFA wanted at all costs a coach who was in good health to lead the team to Ghana.”But everything is done according to procedures.We cannot just relieve him from his duties,” said Rukoro.Rukoro also argued that it would be dangerous to provide a vehicle to Bamfuchile because of his poor health, because it could endanger his life.Bamfuchile’s contract with the NFA runs out at the end of 2009.He was head-hunted for the position by Muinjo and earns just over N$50 000 a month.But Bamfuchile says he can make more money outside football, as he has a business in Zambia that supplies mining machinery.Insiders believe that there is more to the transport issue than meets the eye.Bamfuchile called this reporter on Wednesday afternoon, breaking the news that he had resigned as coach and that he intended to go back to his native Zambia, where he owns a business.Yesterday, Bamfuchile did a U-turn, teaming up with his employers and saying that he did not tell The Namibian he planned to resign.The Namibian stands by the report published yesterday.Yesterday’s statement, signed by both Bamfuchile and Rukoro, said Bamfuchile “disassociates himself from the news report that appeared in the daily newspaper about his purported resignation from the team”.The statement read further: “He [Bamfuchile] has also stated that he has not resigned and has no intention to do so in the near future.He also regrets the compromising situation in which the NFA and the football fraternity have been put as a result of the report.”Yesterday, The Namibian quoted Bamfuchile as saying: “I am tired, I’ve had enough, I am done now.It’s over,” but he seems to have changed his tune after he was confronted by his employers about the report.The Namibian on Wednesday tried in vain to get comment from Rukoro and NFA president John Muinjo.We managed to get comment from NFA Vice President Korbinian Amutenya, who said he did not know about Bamfuchile’s resignation.On Wednesday, Bamfuchile told this reporter that Bamfuchile had not yet informed Muinjo about his resignation, but that Rukoro was aware of it.Yesterday, Rukoro denied that he knew anything about Bamfuchile’s resignation before the report was published and claimed it was “all just rumours”.When asked why Bamfuchile would make such a statement, Rukoro said Bamfuchile suffers from amnesia (memory loss) and could have forgotten what he had told The Namibian.”The man is not well.He has problems with remembering things that he says,” said Rukoro of the man, who ensured Namibia’s qualification to the 2008 African Nations Cup.Yesterday’s statement said that Bamfuchile confirmed his commitment to take the Brave Warriors to the African Nations Cup and the World Cup in 2010.Contradicting that statement, Rukoro earlier yesterday told The Namibian that because of Bamfuchile’s ill health the NFA wanted at all costs a coach who was in good health to lead the team to Ghana.”But everything is done according to procedures.We cannot just relieve him from his duties,” said Rukoro.Rukoro also argued that it would be dangerous to provide a vehicle to Bamfuchile because of his poor health, because it could endanger his life.Bamfuchile’s contract with the NFA runs out at the end of 2009.He was head-hunted for the position by Muinjo and earns just over N$50 000 a month.But Bamfuchile says he can make more money outside football, as he has a business in Zambia that supplies mining machinery.