‘Lolo’ explains ‘no relegation’ comment

Black Africa (BA) executive member Sylvester ‘Lolo’ Goraseb yesterday expanded on his controversial social media utterance regarding promotion and relegation from the Debmarine Namibia Premiership.

The BA legend is trending since Sunday for saying “there will be no promotion or relegation” from the topflight this season when responding to a Facebook post on the Thru Pass Football Magazine group.

His beloved Lively Lions have one match to salvage their top-flight status or follow Eleven Arrows and Citizens to the Southern Stream First Division next season.

Victory in their final match against Young African, coupled with Julinho Sporting failing to beat fifth-placed Life Fighters will secure survival.

Alternatively, Black Africa were relegated on Sunday, following Julinho’s 1-1 draw at Young African.

Technically, Julinho have four more points than BA heading into Saturday’s season-concluding round.

That is if the league authorities decide to award Julinho three points for the match against bottom club Citizens, who failed to show up for their clash at Rundu last month.

Such an eventuality would render the final matches a formality.

A third scenario sees BA disputing that there are no binding rules for relegation or promotion this season.

“Firstly, that comment was made in my personal capacity. Secondly, there’s an upcoming executive committee meeting this weekend where that subject will be addressed. So, it is not BA’s position,” Goraseb told The Namibian Sport yesterday.

The top flight is run by the Namibia Football Association (NFA), which issued “promotion and relegation rules” to its member leagues to dispense to clubs in early November.

Whether the clubs accepted these rules remains unclear, a loophole which BA hopes to exploit.

“BA did not sign or agree to anything of that effect. I’m aware of a number of other clubs who also have not. We are going to write to the NFA to get their position on the matter, because if clubs did not sign, then there is a problem,” said Goraseb.

“We don’t have a problem with going down to the first division. But we need clarity on the circumstances,” he continued.

“Also, not all the leagues have kicked off, and some have come to a standstill. So, how can you promote or relegate when not all leagues are active? A precedent has been set by the previous NC regarding this issue. So, we need the FA to clear up the situation.”

The NFA’s rules on the matter are that clubs “ending in the position 14, 15 and 16 on the final log standing, will be automatically relegated to the league lower to the NPFL”.

The geographical location of the relegated team will determine to which of the three first division streams the team will be relegated to.

In this case, the Southern Stream Fist Division (SSFD) could welcome three teams from the top flight should BA’s relegation be confirmed.

“The sufficient number of clubs will be relegated” from that stream to keep its member composition at 12, the rules stipulate.

Should BA go down, then Ramblers in eighth position, Northern Stars (9), Spoilers (10), Windhoek United (11) and Western Spurs (12) will be relegated from the SSFD.

Unlike record national champions BA, coastal side Arrows appear to have made peace with the outcome of a dismal campaign that ultimately led to their demise.

“It’s a pain. There’ll only be one team from Walvis Bay in the premier league. We wanted so badly to stay. It’s a big team, the history is there.

“We’ll regroup and I’m sure we can come back next season,” said Eleven Arrows’ technical team adviser, Paulus Shipanga, following Sunday’s 1-0 defeat to Civics.

“It’s one of those games that we should have won. But unfortunately, it’s the story of the season. We’re creating opportunities but we can’t finish and then concede silly goals.”

Civilians head coach Jeremy Zimmer was a relieved man after his side escaped the dreaded axe by the skin of their teeth.

Civics moved to 34 points, four more than BA who occupy the final relegation spot.

“It was a nerve-wracking game. The tension was high, but we told the boys to keep their composure and to be disciplined. We’re safe now,” he said.

“It was actually a very stressful season. Mentally I don’t know how to describe it, but it was tough. But we made it and we’ll come back better in the new season.”