Heads must roll -JacobsAdministrators must face the music when it comes to the state Namibian football finds itself in, says Woody Jacobs. Outspoken coach wants revamp of football affairs Nicholas ‘Woody’ Jacobs is adamant that administrators must face the consequences as the country faces the reality of having no Namibia Premier League (NPL) this season. The outspoken coach spoke toNampa in an exclusive interview, calling the current state of football in Namibia “deplorable.”“This has been coming a long way, it’s only surfacing now.
“It is time we take stock of what we have done right and what we have done wrong.
“We must re-look at the way we do things,” said Jacobs, who has won the NPL title with Civics and African Stars. The NPL, which was supposed to start last weekend, was thrown into disarray after the previous sponsor, MTC, ended its association with the league.
This after the NPL failed to source N$9 million of the N$24 million the league had budgeted for the season.
MTC had committed N$15 million annually for three years to support the league’s activities, while the league was supposed to come up with an additional sponsor to cover the deficit. The NPL failed to get that additional sponsor, causing MTC to withdraw its offer of sponsorship.
This left the NPL with the very real prospect of no football this season. Jacobs says this is a clear sign of failure because football is a performance-based industry, where results determine success.
“When a coach does not perform to the expectations of their employer they get fired. When players are not producing the desired results, they get fired. Why can’t it be the same with the administrators, whom I feel have failed our football?
“Don’t they themselves feel they have failed our football?” he asked.
The coach added they are planning a meeting at Eldorado High School tomorrow to bring stakeholders together to find solutions to the crisis.
“We are not plotting to oust the current leaders, but we want to contribute by coming up with suggestions that will look at solving the issues facing our football.”
-Nampa