Namibia: Wermann Wins Top NPL Prizes

Sheefeni Nikodemus

20 June 2011

Black Africa’s Bradley Wermann scooped two awards and raked in N$55 000 in prize money at Saturday’s drab season-ending MTC Namibia Premier League awards ceremony.

Wermann collected the N$15 000 Players’ Player of the Year award plus the evening’s most lucrative prize – the Premiership Player of the Season award worth N$40 000.

The 25-year-old attacking midfielder has for many years struggled for consistency and to deliver on his immense potential. However, he has come of age this past season, helping BA to league success in his first season at the club and earning – what appears to be – a regular spot in the Brave Warriors.

Wermann beat competition from Civics playmaker Heini Isaacs and surprise nominee Ramblers winger Eslin Kamuhanga for the Player of the Season Award. He was ahead of Mighty Gunners striker Harold Ochurub and Eleven Arrows and Brave Warriors number one Virgil Vries in the Players’ Player of the Season category.

Ochurub himself bagged the Top Goalscorer award and N$20 000 for his 12 league goals in the 2010-11 campaign.

Ramblers coach Christy Guruseb also got N$12 000 for being named the Coach of the Season, while Civics’ Paul Stramis received the same amount for the Team Manager of the Season award.

The Referee of the Season was Ndara Martin from the Kavango Region, David Shanika was chosen as the Assistant Referee of the Season while Rudolph Haingura was awarded as the Match Commissioner of the Season. They each received a N$15 000 for their efforts.

Arguably though, the moment of the evening belonged to four-year old Jolene Humphries – daughter of the late Laurentius Humphries – who received NPL Chairman’s award.

Young Jolene, accompanied by her mother Jacolene, jovially skipped onto the stage to receive her prize amid a standing ovation from the audience.

FOOTBALL POLITICS

However the awards were overshadowed by the ongoings at the ceremony, as Civics coach Ali Akan’s used the opportunity to attempt to upstage Lady May’s recent outburst at the Namibia Music Awards.

The Turk spent a sizeable chunk of Saturday evening moaning and shouting “football mafias” and “you are corrupt” in the direction of league chairman Doseb.

In turn Doseb used his time on the podium to have a go at Akan, whom he labelled “destructive to local football” and causing disharmony within football circles.

Not one to be outdone, MTC’s Chief Human Capital and Corporate Affairs Officer Tim Ekandjo told the NPL and NFA to get their act together.

In particular he vented his frustrations at the lack of disciplinary action taken against clubs that harbour hooligans.

“MTC will not accept lame excuses from football administrators that there are no provisions within the football laws to punish clubs due to unruly fans,” he said.

“The reason why supporters continually behave that way is because we have allowed them to.

“By refusing to take action against clubs with misbehaving fans, are we in any way suggesting that we apply different sets of rules from those followed elsewhere? Fifa’s rules and regulations apply everywhere where organised football is played.”

In addition he said: “Let us commit ourselves to enforcing those rules in the coming season in the interest of the game that we claim to love. If the NPL or the NFA cannot enforce its own rules, MTC shall do that for you and we shall seriously consider voting with our feet.”

AllAfrica – All the Time