Nafpu seeks truce with NFA, NPL

THE Namibia Football Players' Union is ready to compromise with the Namibia Football Association and the Namibia Premier League for the sake of progress, the union's head Sylvester 'Lolo' Goraseb said on Thursday.
The legendary ex-Brave Warriors' playmaker feels a ceasefire is in the offing, which will finally put to rest the long-running domestic football squabble, after being granted an audience with the two organisations next month.

A positive outcome from that meeting will render the ongoing case before the Labour Commissioner academic, Goraseb said.

“We will have a tripartite engagement between the NPL, NFA and the players' union in April after the meetings of the NPL on 8 April and the NFA executive committee meeting,” he said.

“We want to commend the responsible leadership for considering to engage and resolve matters as a football family; most importantly because we have a Labour Commission hearing on 27 April on the recognition of Nafpu by the NPL.

"In our discussions with the interim management committee's chairperson [Franco Cosmos], we are committed to resolving the issues so that we do not go and clean our houses at the Labour Commission. We will try our best to find that common ground,” added Goraseb, who is also pushing for the adoption of standard contracts by all NPL clubs for players before the league kicks off on 12 May.

Additionally, he announced that Nafpu members are eligible for a global initiative which will allow over 1 000 professional footballers from around the world to study Sports Management and Business Administration online through FIFPro's partnership with the University of Nicosia (UNIC) in Cyprus.

“Nafpu will assist whoever applies and registers for this programme. Education for footballers is one of our key pillars.

Furthermore, Nafpu will send a team to participate in the 'Tournament for Out of Contract Players' in South Africa on 30 June.

Along with the hosts, the tournament will feature teams from Namibia, Zimbabwe and Botswana.

“It gives an opportunity to players to land professional contracts abroad. I have had discussions with national team coach Ricardo Mannetti about sending the Chan [African Nations Championships] team if the tournament is in that timeframe. As Fifpro and Nafpu, we would like to review the date of this tournament to coincide with the programme of national duty. If not, we will adjust to the realities,” said Goraseb.