Rows over, football to start

FOOTBALL authorities yesterday promised the nation a problem-free 2006/2007 domestic football season in the wake of the delayed start of the league and numerous brawls that spoiled the image of the game.

The Namibia Premier League (NPL) will start on November 11, it was confirmed yesterday, after it was delayed due to the intervention of Fifa, which ordered nationwide elections in all football structures. Fifa directed about three months ago that the regions should choose new leaders, culminating last weekend in the election of a new president for the Namibia Football Association (NFA).The Fifa intervention cam after officials differed on the way the game should be run, leading to endless squabbles and eventually delaying the start of the premiership.Yesterday, sponsors and football officials committed themselves to obey the wishes of thousands of Namibian football lovers by having a smooth season, and promised to tackle the remaining problems urgently.The Namibia Football Consortium (NFC) yesterday presented its annual sponsorship of N$8 million to the NFA, with the wish that it would build the needed capacity, offer good prizes for winning teams, improve administration in all the leagues and boost youth development.The acting managing director of Mobile Telecommunications Limited (MTC), Bisey Uirab, said the consortium was specifically worried about youth development in the country.”This is not being addressed to the consortium’s satisfaction.The 1998 Brave Warriors squad was one of the best ever in Namibia’s football history.Most of the players at that stage had progressed from the ranks of junior football to the national squad.Since then, the youth initiatives have declined to the extent that they are almost non-existent,” he said.He urged the NFA to utilise the funding made available to them to develop the youth so that they can represent Namibia at the next African Nations Cup and bring the Brave Warriors’ world ranking to respectable levels.The NFC is the sole sponsor of football in Namibia apart from Government, and has earmarked an amount of N$40 million over five years.The deal is currently in its second year, with the NFA receiving N$8 million each year.The NFC consists of First National Bank, Namibia Breweries Limited and MTC.The money covers aspects such as refereeing, women’s football, the NFA’s administration, football awards and youth development.However, there is no breakdown given by the NFC or the NFA on how much is spent on each of these activities.Uirab said the NFC also wanted clubs to develop a professional approach in the handling of teams, their fitness and all the administration arrangements.”Managers, players and administrators alike should concentrate on the overall improvement of clubs instead of concerning themselves with bread-and-butter issues,” he said.The newly elected treasurer of the NFA, Kornelius Kwela Kapenda, acknowledged that Namibian football had a turbulent time in recent months, but asked the clubs and the players to work hard to make the season memorable.NFA official Barry Rukoro said the fixtures of the season will be issued today, after they were due to be signed off by the NPL Board of Governors yesterday.Fifa directed about three months ago that the regions should choose new leaders, culminating last weekend in the election of a new president for the Namibia Football Association (NFA).The Fifa intervention cam after officials differed on the way the game should be run, leading to endless squabbles and eventually delaying the start of the premiership.Yesterday, sponsors and football officials committed themselves to obey the wishes of thousands of Namibian football lovers by having a smooth season, and promised to tackle the remaining problems urgently.The Namibia Football Consortium (NFC) yesterday presented its annual sponsorship of N$8 million to the NFA, with the wish that it would build the needed capacity, offer good prizes for winning teams, improve administration in all the leagues and boost youth development.The acting managing director of Mobile Telecommunications Limited (MTC), Bisey Uirab, said the consortium was specifically worried about youth development in the country.”This is not being addressed to the consortium’s satisfaction.The 1998 Brave Warriors squad was one of the best ever in Namibia’s football history.Most of the players at that stage had progressed from the ranks of junior football to the national squad.Since then, the youth initiatives have declined to the extent that they are almost non-existent,” he said.He urged the NFA to utilise the funding made available to them to develop the youth so that they can represent Namibia at the next African Nations Cup and bring the Brave Warriors’ world ranking to respectable levels.The NFC is the sole sponsor of football in Namibia apart from Government, and has earmarked an amount of N$40 million over five years.The deal is currently in its second year, with the NFA receiving N$8 million each year.The NFC consists of First National Bank, Namibia Breweries Limited and MTC.The money covers aspects such as refereeing, women’s football, the NFA’s administration, football awards and youth development.However, there is no breakdown given by the NFC or the NFA on how much is spent on each of these activities.Uirab said the NFC also wanted clubs to develop a professional approach in the handling of teams, their fitness and all the administration arrangements.”Managers, players and administrators alike should concentrate on the overall improvement of clubs instead of concerning themselves with bread-and-butter issues,” he said.The newly elected treasurer of the NFA, Kornelius Kwela Kapenda, acknowledged that Namibian football had a turbulent time in recent months, but asked the clubs and the players to work hard to make the season memorable.NFA official Barry Rukoro said the fixtures of the season will be issued today, after they were due to be signed off by the NPL Board of Governors yesterday.