EDITORIAL: NFA and players must silence the guns
The impasse between the Namibia Football Association (NFA) and Brave Warriors players needs compromise from both parties. Players want NFA to be grateful for their prowess in Ivory Coast, but how grateful are players themselves towards NFA, who took them on a journey that started way before the January African Cup of Nations (Afcon)?
NFA, thanks to the ineptitude of the government of the day, has to take all home Afcon qualifier games to South Africa because the country has no facilities fit to host international matches. The heavily-underfunded association had to scrape the bottom of the barrel to find money for flights, hotel accommodation and training facilities in Johannesburg.
We agree that players must be fairly rewarded. But to take everything and leave nothing for the association that recruited these players is simply shocking.
The apex of every footballer’s career is to play for their country of birth. Playing for your country is a privilege, not a right. No amount of money can buy that honour.
Namibia has more footballers than the 23 who went to Ivory Coast. Those who had the rare privilege of being picked to don the national colours must be rewarded for their sweat, but not at the expense of aspiring footballers who are pinning their hopes and dreams on NFA.
The N$15 million prize money is no pocket change. It’s enough to appease the two warring sides – and to help other footballers outside this budding warzone.
NFA, thanks to the ineptitude of the government of the day, has to take all home Afcon qualifier games to South Africa because the country has no facilities fit to host international matches. The heavily-underfunded association had to scrape the bottom of the barrel to find money for flights, hotel accommodation and training facilities in Johannesburg.
We agree that players must be fairly rewarded. But to take everything and leave nothing for the association that recruited these players is simply shocking.
The apex of every footballer’s career is to play for their country of birth. Playing for your country is a privilege, not a right. No amount of money can buy that honour.
Namibia has more footballers than the 23 who went to Ivory Coast. Those who had the rare privilege of being picked to don the national colours must be rewarded for their sweat, but not at the expense of aspiring footballers who are pinning their hopes and dreams on NFA.
The N$15 million prize money is no pocket change. It’s enough to appease the two warring sides – and to help other footballers outside this budding warzone.
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Namibian Sun
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