North East First Division (NEFD) outfit Rundu Chiefs is in danger of relegation as they prepare for their round 22 and 23 fixtures of the 2022/23 NEFD Namibia Football Association this weekend.
Rundu Chiefs who competed in the 2017/18 Namibia Premier League season will for the first time in history be relegated to the second division if they fail to win their remaining nine fixtures this season.
The Rundu-based outfit with one of the richest football histories in the region currently stands 10th on the log of a 13-team league with 19 points, one point off the relegation position held by Chief Santos.
Tsumeb-based Santos – also one of the clubs with a rich football history in the country is 11th on the log with 18 points.
In an interview with Nampa on Wednesday, Rundu Chiefs chairperson Thomas Shapi said management is worried about the team’s position and is working day and night to change their fortunes.
“As a club, the first thing I would say is we don’t have the financial muscles that we had in the past while competing in the Premier League as it’s difficult to compete in the First Division where you don’t get a monthly grant,” he said.
He added that the club would want to acquire experienced players as well as coaching and technical staff but that comes at a cost.
“Our supporters are not contributing their monthly fees as they did in the past and we are therefore calling on them to assist us with these remaining matches in the league. Our coaching staff would also need to be assisted by someone with vast experience but that can only be done when there are funds to pay a coach with experience,” Shapi said.
The club chairperson added that lack of discipline is another matter at play and causing the team’s downfall as some choose to play football elsewhere during off weekends or small tournaments, which is not good for someone who is registered to play for a bigger club like Rundu Chiefs.
This coming weekend the Rundu based-outfit is in a do-or-die situation in the Zambezi Region where they are scheduled to play Bush Bucks and Black Hawks on Saturday and Sunday respectively.
Black Hawks are second on the log with 32 points while Bucks are eighth with 20 points.
Source: The Namibia Press Agency
