Namibia Football Association (NFA) president, John Muinjo has been impressed by the standards displayed at the TN Mobile 9th African Women Championship underway in Namibia.
Muinjo, who also sits on the CAF Organising Committee for Women’s Football shared some moments about the championship and organisational challenges amongst others in an exclusive interview with Cafonline.com. Below are excerpts of his interview;
Cafonline.com: What are your general observations of the tournament thus far?
John Muinjo: So far I think we have put up a great performance in terms organisational skills in making sure that the tournament is flawless. Obviously, when you host a tournament of this magnitude, there will be a few problems, but we are very focused and want to do our best for our country. At the same time, we have been following the CAF guidelines and stipulations. We have been working as a team to make it successful.
How difficult has it been to host the rest of Africa?
Namibia is a small country but we are also very experienced. The support from Government as well as sponsors has made it possible for us to come out tops in terms of trying to do the basics right and being guided by CAF to do the right thing. This was the first opportunity given to us so we wanted to make it a success and we did not want to make mistakes. This has inspired us to go forward and do a good job.
Were you surprised by the kind of reception from the fans at the tournament?
In a way I’m a bit surprise that we received many supporters who came to watch the games. The gates were opened for free because we wanted people to come and enjoy themselves, and understand women’s football.
In Namibia, women’s football is not regarded as big and people did not really worry much. So this was the opportunity and you could see that every time Namibia was playing the stadium was packed. Not only did they come to watch the team play, but they were also fascinated about how women play. Another legacy is that many girls will be encouraged to play football and this will be good for the national teams.
What has been some of the major challenges?
When you organise a tournament of this magnitude, you have to stay firm. You have to look out for smaller things, tackle them and do a lot of consultations. The Local Organising Committee (LOC) was reminded of the smaller things they had to look at and do to the best of their abilities.
In our case, we did the basics right coupled with the teamwork, consulting and talking to each other. Football is about respect, fair play and tolerance and these factors have played a huge role in us coming this far.
After putting in so much effort, what was going through your mind when the opening ceremony kick started with an empty stadium?
It was a challenge because Namibian fans only want to come for the games. If there is an opening ceremony, they won’t come on time. In this case it was the same issue. When I was seated I realized that people were not coming, but by 5pm everyone was around and it was a great feeling for me.
What do you make of the standards at the tournament?
I’ve been serving on the CAF Organising Committee for Women’s Football for some time now and I can only say that women’s football on the continent has developed a lot.
The standard displayed at this tournament by the teams has been very good and technically some of them have women coaches. I’m proud to be a part of the team organizing this championship and the fact that CAF has shown so much confidence in us as the hosts. We don’t want to disappoint and we are trying to do everything to make it a success.
What has been the secret behind the impressive organisation?
The secret behind our good organisation has been working hard as a team but the most important has been the support of Government throughout.
One of the legacies of the tournament will be from the lot of work that had to be done to get the stadiums ready. After many years, the stadium and other facilities will be of good use and that is one of the main legacies we want to leave behind. Initially, the sponsors did not know what to expect, but they been given the needed mileage. CAF also assisted where they could and this has been part of the team work which is good for success.
What has been the high point of this tournament for you?
Firstly, the fact that Namibia played very well and beat Zambia in the opening match. Secondly, the presence of the Prime Minister, Dr Hage Geingob, at the stadium to support not only Namibia but all the teams is also a milestone. Thirdly, the support the spectators gave to the Namibian team.
What does the future hold for women’s football in Namibia
The future is very bright for the women’s game after this tournament. I’m very confident that it will also receive support from sponsors because they have seen that it is good to be associated with women’s football because it is growing.
The fans’ support and also the passion that they showed also impressed me. I’m a strong believer that moving forward, women’s football in Namibia will grow and we thank CAF for having the confidence and giving the Namibia Football Association (NFA) the opportunity to shine. We are glad that things went well. – cafonline.com
