Robbie, what a guy!
Namibians yesterday woke up to the unfortunate news that the Brave Warriors superfan Robbie Savage has died a few months after suffering a mild stroke. As expected there has been an outpouring of tributes, especially on social media, where he has been well eulogised. Robbie was the face of Namibian football without doubt. He has travelled with the national team to both the Africa Cup of Nations tournament in which Namibia participated in 1998 in Burkina Faso and in 2008 to Ghana. Indeed he has been the national team’s mascot through thick and thin. Although he had a habit of changing allegiance when it came to local football clubs in recent years, Robbie never wavered in his support of the local game. He was a soccer slave who was eating, drinking and talking football all the time. He was well informed too, and was mostly privy to unpublishable gossip in the Brave Warriors camp and all the shenanigans at Soccer House. Robbie was not perfect. He had many run-ins with football administrators, rival fans and sport writers who would occasionally label him an annoying character. However, Robbie was beloved and football bosses, rightly so, recognised him with a number of awards due to his undying passion. Robbie was never far away from soccer action and even though he was bedridden, he would occasionally offer his well wishes to the beloved Brave Warriors. In a recent interview with Confidente’s John Tuerijama, Robbie expressed disappointment with the fact there was no premier league football taking place because of boardroom squabbles and to an extent, funding troubles. The football bosses know very well that they have failed the likes of Robbie and other ardent soccer fans by not starting the top flight league. It is also sad that not many of them were there during his dark days despite his enormous contribution to the local game. At 50 years of age Robbie leaves behind a rich legacy of courage, bravery and patriotism. And this should be a lesson to all of us to always put our country first and do the right thing. May his legendary soul rest in eternal peace.
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