The Namibian (Windhoek)
Corry Ihuhua
27 October 2009
THE future of the Nationwide First Divisions is uncertain as there is no commitment from sponsors, while there are no fixtures or kick-off dates in sight.
The Namibia Football Association has already given the go-ahead that the first divisions be incorporated under the wing of the MTC Premiership.
At the moment, the teams are still in the dark in regard to sponsorship talks or tentative kick-off dates, but the chairman of the Southern Stream First Division, Kenneth Goaseb, is hopeful that they will start soon.
"All the members are aware of the developments in regard to our talks with the sponsors. The league can only start when the sponsors commit themselves to the cause and so far we have not heard anything from them," he said. He said they were in discussions with mobile operator MTC and were just waiting for their response.
MTC spokesman Albertus Aochamub was not available for comment, but sponsorships manager Isack Hamata confirmed that discussions were on at a higher level regarding sponsorships for the first divisions.
He said Aochamub was the only person who could comment on that as he was dealing directly with the football officials.
Meanwhile, Namibia Premier League chief administrator Tovey //Ho«beb confirmed that they will take charge of the first divisions, but said it appears that the league will only start next January.
"At this stage, I think we might just start early next year, because there are currently a lot of issues that need to be addressed," he said.
The first divisions in question consist of the Southern and Northern Streams of 12 teams each.
STREAMS TO REMAIN
//Ho«beb said the two streams will remain under the new dispensation, but they will have different reporting structures.
"We will have full-time people who will run the day-to-day activities of the first divisions to ensure efficiency at that level too," he said.
He confirmed that the NPL authorities, officials from the two streams and the sponsors were currently in negotiations to draw a substantive sponsorship to the first divisions that can elevate the standard of football at that level.
"We are glad that the discussions are going on well at the highest level, but we are only hopeful that it will also be concluded in a fruitful manner that can help our cause to get these leagues in order, said //Ho«beb.
The NFA, to which the first divisions were affiliated to for years, has failed to secure sufficient funding to run it, while the leagues have been embroiled in persistent fights for positions and at times fixing of matches.
Worse is that players in the two divisions have not kicked a ball since the start of the leagues around the world in August, with the NFA promising to do something drastic about it until the NPL decided to rescue the situation by negotiating on their behalf for funding.
Meanwhile, Gaoseb earlier announced that the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Southern Stream First Division, which was scheduled for last weekend, had been postponed until further notice.
He said this was primarily due to developments that are unfolding with regard to the sponsorship of the Nationwide First Division Football.
"Our sponsorship proposal has been agreed in principle and we are only waiting for our potential sponsor to tie up all the loose ends and thus formal notification in this regard will made known to the media in due course," he said.
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