Football is ours

Nothing unites people in Namibia like the round ball.

Wherever you go, you will find casual players, boys and girls, kicking balls in the street.

Then there are the professional athletes, online gamblers, fanatical supporters, bar owners, sidewalk vendors, broadcasters, and journalists; all of which make up an entire ecosystem.

This ecosystem’s main goal is toward the pursuit of goals and, at the end, pleasure from watching a great game of football or from making a scoring bid.

This is why I appreciate the return of the domestic league after a hiatus of almost three years. Players can now dust off their boots this week because there is some sort of football resurrection, and all thanks to the generous sponsorship of Debmarine Namibia.

At a time when the economy is in tatters, Debmarine saw the need to resuscitate domestic football.

Not because they trust the brand, but to give the brand a chance to uplift players and to entice aspiring footballers to return to the pitch.

Sadly, the players have suffered the most during the period of no action.

Some quit football entirely.

But this is a chance for them to return to the game and to put on great performances.

This will definitely take a lot of hard work, commitment, and working as a team.

The words of Otto Shikongo, Debmarine Namibia’s chief executive officer, ring true when it comes to working together.

‘‘The success of sport in our country can only be achieved when we work together as a collective with a common goal."

We can only achieve the best results if we all work as one and not to enrich ourselves.

There was much uncertainty during the build-up to the sponsorship announcement, but finally the commitment was made.

Of course, there are still some screws that need to be tightened before the weekend, but applause should be given where it is due.

After an absence of more than three years, the organisers have gone beyond and above to secure a sponsorship – especially at a time when no corporate company trusts the football brand enough to plough money into it; Debmarine has come to the party.

The league will be run by the Namibia Football Association with the hope that in the years to come it will transition into a sustainable self-managed model.

This, again, will take hard work and working as a unit. I believe the current football leaders can do it. Let’s give them our support.

[email protected]