Relationship between clubs and NFA sours

The Namibia Premier Football League season is not likely to start on 21 September as communicated to the clubs earlier on after alleged loopholes have been cited by various football clubs, including the lack of a sponsor.

Sport Wrap understands that clubs have already vowed to drag their feet on kicking a ball until their demands are met.

The other pressing issue that will potentially delay the start of the league is that it is alleged that the football association has failed to sign any agreement with a sponsor to start the league on time.

It has also surfaced that internal communications within the association are now planning to start the league at the end of October.

This is contrary to the football season which has already began in various countries, while many feel Namibian football will once again go through the same dry period they did when football came to a standstill about three years ago.

Debmarine Namibia sponsored the league for the last two seasons after the diamond mining company had struck a deal with the Fifa Normalisation Committee that was responsible for administering football following the collapse of the previous NFA administration.

Their sponsorship conditions was however on a one year term with an option to extend which enabled the 2023/24 season to be played as well.

It is however alleged that the NFA officials have been in talks with the company in order to lure them into another deal, while allegedly also seeking a sponsorship from Namibia Breweries Limited.

As things stand, it is alleged that none of the sponsorship negotiations are ready to yield the desired outcome yet, which was to start the football season.



Frustration building

All this is believed to have brewed frustration among football clubs as well as prominent figures within football circles.

“I can assure you now that the football league will not start anytime soon and Okahandja United will not start training until a proper direction is given to us,” Okahandja United boss Congo Hindjou said.

This has been the same sentiments echoed by many other club owners during Sport Wrap investigations into the pressing matter.

“We understand there are negotiations between the NFA and Debmarine Namibia and the NFA as well as Namibia Breweries Namibia Limited.

“What we however find disturbing is that the clubs are excluded from sitting at the same table and we do not even know if the terms of this discussions suits what the clubs are fighting for,” another group of club owners who chose to remain anonymous noted.



Demands for independent league

Club owners have also taken aim at the rules of the current premiership, which they claim are outdated and need to be revisited.

The clubs feel that playing under a full administration of the NFA is a no-go zone and the demands for the NPFL to have a Board of Governors (BOG’s) like in the past has surfaced.

The clubs cite that some of the loopholes started because there is only one person administering the league and most of the current NFA executive do not own clubs and therefore allegedly have little interest in the well-being of football clubs.

NFA League Director Mabos Vries declined to comment on the matter in the absence of the secretary-general Charles Siyauya who is currently out of the country.

Sport Wrap however understands that there is a planned meeting between the NFA and clubs that will potentially iron out the issues.