Support your own

The English Premier League is king in Namibia; it's the ultimate championship, the reason why many pay Dstv and an influx of fans, gather at local bars every weekend to watch the action on big screens.

It is the reason why Namibian stadiums are empty and deserted because people are glued to television sets cheering the big names in international football circles. Conversations in sitting rooms and bars centre on why a certain player should or should not be sold or transferred. The European league has developed many football analysts. Both women and men take part in these conversations.

Not only do they speak and discuss the game like true experts, but they also spend hundreds of dollars on buying the merchandise. From caps and t-shirts to blankets: many have also donned their cars, offices and bedrooms with the colours of Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United. You will never see the colours of a local team in sight.

In some households children grow up supporting these clubs, just because their parents are fans. Ask any youngster why they support Chelsea they will tell you “because my father does”. European clubs are followed like cults. People make sure that they educate themselves on the playing history of the likes of Wayne Roney and Thierry Henry. They buy their children Manchester shirts and scarves for Christmas, not minding the price.

They purchase biographies without hesitation and cut out memorabilia just for the sake of showing it to their children one day.

Friends have stopped speaking to each other because of the rivalry of clubs. You cannot criticise a friend's favourite player without being crucified. In some instances men have been hospitalised because of high blood pressure caused by their team's losses. This is the impact the European premier league has on people. But one can't hesitate to ask why this devotion doesn't carry over to local clubs? Yes, we have the likes of Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates in South Africa who drive fans mad on game day.

Many are seen with painted faces, wearing balaclavas and hats they have designed themselves. Manier time's vuvuzelas are thrown on the pitch in celebration or in frustration. Some even go as far as threatening players when they had a bad day on the field.

Fights break out, because of the tension between fans. But when it comes to buying power fans choose to buy European brands, whether they are duplicates or originals. They just want to have and hold a t-shirt to “represent” themselves as belonging to a certain club.

This is not wrong if we think about it, but we should make it a point to support our own as well. We should educate our children on the history of Black Africa and the great footballing days of the likes of Gerros Witbeen and Ricardo Mannetti instead of always asking and forcing our children to aspire to be the Ronaldo's and Messi's of the world. Let them come second if not last. Let us instil a culture of being proud of what we have produced in our homeland.

Let us go into a local sport shop and without hesitation purchase a Brave Warriors or Welwitschias shirt and let us step out on game day and colour the stadiums red with our national colours. There is nothing to be ashamed when you show your loyalty and devotion to the sporting nation.

Let us not wait for other people to come to Namibia and show us where to buy our own sport merchandise, let us rather show them what we have designed ourselves so that they can carry that away and show the rest of the world what Namibia is made of.

[email protected]