The sinking Sea Robbers

There seems to be no end in sight when it comes to Orlando Pirates' woes.The club sits in last place on the Namibia Premier League (NPL) log with six points so far from 12 matches.The Sea Robbers, who have always been a force to be reckoned with over the years, were formed in 1963 and have won two league titles - in 1990 and 2008.They also have a great following of male and female supporters, who have backed them for many years.However, there is little or nothing to crow about these days. And gone are the days when youthful players and the who's who of local football dreamed of playing for the black and white outfit.These days' players are storming to other clubs, who seem to have much bigger aspirations, as well as hunger and drive.Formidable former players like Orlando Haraseb, Rudi Louw and Mohammed Ouseb plied their trade with the giants of Namibian football at some point in the career. The club is certainly not attracting the same calibre of players now. “Pirates released all their old players with experience for inexperienced guys and if they are not careful they might well be facing relegation,” said a former player, who refused to be named.Another source close to the team said Pirates' downfall is a result of poor management and wrong decision-making. According to him, Pirates is rumoured to be eyeing first division players to sign during the transfer window. “Just as much as they don't have players, the club does not have the right technical team. “Look at the coach. He does not have any title wins at all. Also, the leadership of Pirates needs to be questioned. Do they have time for the club?” asked the source.“The club does not have right structures but they appointed a CEO, namely Niklaas Kisilipile. One does not know who signs players. Is it the coach or the management? There is just chaos there.”The source added that players are not paid on time and do not have a fixed field to train on.“I suggest that they bring back the old management if they want to end up in the top eight. They must swallow their pride and recall the old players, who are currently free agents and also avail resources for the team to prosper.”Another source who was part of the club for years said the club's management is the stumbling block. “If you tell these guys the truth then you are jealous. The CEO runs everything - from recruiting to scouting players - because structures are non-existent.“I was part of the club but left because our philosophy differed. 'No one can question my leadership style' is what is happening at Pirates at the moment.” BreakdownNot only has the club lost valuable players, but it also parted ways with coaches such as Ali Akan and Erich Muinjo over the years. “The problem started with Muinjo. They brought in a guy who was out of football for a long time. He was outdated, even though they had a great team.“When the players complained, those in charge sided with the coach and ended up firing the squad, thus bringing in substandard players. Muinjo couldn't cope until they eventually let him go and they brought in Lucky Kakuva as head coach.“Kakuva is better, as he has an understanding of football, only he doesn't have silverware to his name. The problem also is that he doesn't have the right standard of players now like Muinjo did,” the source said. He said further that Pirates is a team that should be competing for a top four spot, with the likes of Black Africa, African Stars and Tigers. “We are a team in transition and people have to see it as such. It's just like a relationship that goes through various stages and sometimes a coach is just good as his players.“We know where Pirates belongs but at the moment factors are not in our favour.“I need players who can help with my philosophy, as I came in at a wrong time, but as a former player, I want to change the situation,” Kakuva said. He said most of the current squad are not young players per se, but their performances have been inconsistent as they cannot grasp some situations on the field. “Not all the players we intend to scout are first division guys,” he also explained.Kakuva further said the second leg of the league will be much different after the transfer window opens.The club has two matches up next - against Unam and Young Brazilian - and they hope to pick up four to six points. LIMBA MUPETAMI

The sinking Sea Robbers

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Namibian Sun 2026-02-04

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The sinking Sea Robbers

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Namibian Sun 2026-02-04

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