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Namibia: Eleven Arrows Locally Owned
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The Namibian (Windhoek)
8 April 2008
Posted to the web 8 April 2008
Adam Hartman
Windhoek
Despite their 5-3 defeat (in penalties) against Black Africa at Walvis Bay on Sunday a week ago, Eleven Arrows was a "winner" by becoming one of the first local teams to point the way to professional football by officially handing ownership to local entrepreneur, Johnny Doeseb.
Eleven Arrows are currently ranked fourth in Namibia's Premier League, and boast one of Erongo's two top teams, along with Blue Waters.
Recently one of its players (and Brave Warriors striker), Rudolf Bester, who was also named the 'Best Player' of the National Football Association, entered a professional soccer career in Serbia.
The club, which was established in 1961, also held the top position in local soccer for two years during the 90s.
With this rich record, the team recently made history again by becoming one of Namibia's solely privately owned teams, under Doeseb of JJD Investments in Walvis Bay.
"The price he paid for the team and club is a confidential matter; but let's just say the amount was substantial in local terms," newly appointed team spokesperson, Riana Hamilton, told The Namibian.
As the survival of soccer in Namibia mainly depends on the financial support of donors and individuals, this struggle has also been a hurdle for Namibia's development into a professional football league.
The opinion at the function was that Doeseb's ownership could set off a system of incentives for the players, turning them from local amateur heroes into paid professional stars.
"Players' morale and the standard of their play would be pushed up, increasing competition, and making the game professional," a local sports enthusiast told The Namibian.
"The ball is now on the roll, and we can expect big things to come for local soccer."
Doeseb noted that Eleven Arrows would now be in line with Fifa's new directive that all clubs globally should be licensed.
"If we don't see the opportunities in the soccer business, we are on the losing side," he said.
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"Only if soccer is run on sound business principles will it flourish and grow in Namibia."
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