From the Sidelines: Civics and title in focus

FOCUS on the domestic football scene will fall into the Civics camp as they are bound to scoop the league title for the third time, provided they beat the tenacious Tigers side in an important premiership encounter at the SKW Stadium on Friday night.

The match will be a milestone for many Civics players who have stood by the team throughout the years and it will be a heartache for Oshakati City, who have worked so hard to win the league for the first time since entering the premiership. It will be sweet victory for Tigers who over the years who refuse to lose against Civics, while it will also halt the celebrations of the maroon-and-white outfit, which has a small but vocal support base.Civics will also go for their fourth successive Champions League if they win the league this year, despite not ever making it to the quarter-finals of the continental show-piece.Tomorrow’s match will not be easy for the ‘Civilians’ as they will be under pressure to win the title and this will be made difficult by Tigers who would also want to win at all costs.For players such as team captain Amos Shiyuka, team manager Paul Stramis, administrative secretary Tim Isaacks, head coach Helmuth Scharnowski, striker William Chilufya and their supporters who have stood by the team, it will be a monumental occasion if they collect the three points tomorrow night.These players and officials will be winning the title for the third time now and will also make their own history by being part of its achievements of making it to the fourth Champions League Cup.Civics, with their massive financial muscle, has proven time and again that a properly administered side always brings the best out of players, The players have demonstrated the will to win matches and they have maintained a high level of discipline.Up to date, the side have won their matches without any disciplinary cases against or for them and their goals have been clear.Also since their existence, there were no fights over the salaries of players and the players have never complained about bad treatment.These aspects have shown that they are champions in their own right and winning the league this time around would send a clear message that premiership teams need better organisation, true leadership and a culture of winning from players.If fate hits Civics for losing all their remaining three matches and Oshakati City win all their remaining three, so be it.But I still think it will be a tall order for City to achieve that and for Civics to let that happen.On the international football scene, there is a lot of talk on Liverpool going for their sixth Uefa Champions League title in a repeat final against AC Milan.If this happens, they will possibly achieve that with AC Milan because it will be silly to write off Manchester United (provided they are in the final”.United were due to play AC Milan in the second semi-final of the competition last night.An AC Milan versus Liverpool final will be good, but it will be even more exciting and interesting if it is an all-England final.Namibia has thousands of Manchester United and Liverpool followers and a Champions League final of the two will ignite a lot of talk on who is the best.Manchester United are in fact on the verge of a treble, but this can only happen if they put away Chelsea in the FA Cup final later this month, while the league title is mathematically decided upon already.Liverpool fought their way to the final through a frantic penalty shoot-out against possibly any team’s best enemies Chelsea.It was surely a well-deserved victory for the Reds if one compares the many words that the Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho utters before every match.Liverpool do not have the world’s best players, but their coach Rafa Benitez always has the right medicine for the opposition.He does not talk big, but his players rise to the occasion and deliver.They would be expected to deliver though in case they meet United in the final as Alex Ferguson and his men are on a great mission to make it possible to win three titles in one season.* In case Civics win the league, congratulations on your hard work and remember that winning it for the third time will be underlined as a trademark of true champions.It will be sweet victory for Tigers who over the years who refuse to lose against Civics, while it will also halt the celebrations of the maroon-and-white outfit, which has a small but vocal support base.Civics will also go for their fourth successive Champions League if they win the league this year, despite not ever making it to the quarter-finals of the continental show-piece.Tomorrow’s match will not be easy for the ‘Civilians’ as they will be under pressure to win the title and this will be made difficult by Tigers who would also want to win at all costs.For players such as team captain Amos Shiyuka, team manager Paul Stramis, administrative secretary Tim Isaacks, head coach Helmuth Scharnowski, striker William Chilufya and their supporters who have stood by the team, it will be a monumental occasion if they collect the three points tomorrow night.These players and officials will be winning the title for the third time now and will also make their own history by being part of its achievements of making it to the fourth Champions League Cup.Civics, with their massive financial muscle, has proven time and again that a properly administered side always brings the best out of players, The players have demonstrated the will to win matches and they have maintained a high level of discipline.Up to date, the side have won their matches without any disciplinary cases against or for them and their goals have been clear.Also since their existence, there were no fights over the salaries of players and the players have never complained about bad treatment.These aspects have shown that they are champions in their own right and winning the league this time around would send a clear message that premiership teams need better organisation, true leadership and a culture of winning from players.If fate hits Civics for losing all their remaining three matches and Oshakati City win all their remaining three, so be it.But I still think it will be a tall order for City to achieve that and for Civics to let that happen.On the international football scene, there is a lot of talk on Liverpool going for their sixth Uefa Champions League title in a repeat final against AC Milan.If this happens, they will possibly achieve that with AC Milan because it will be silly to write off Manchester United (provided they are in the final”.United were due to play AC Milan in the second semi-final of the competition last night.An AC Milan versus Liverpool final will be good, but it will be even more exciting and interesting if it is an all-England final.Namibia has thousands of Manchester United and Liverpool followers and a Champions League final of the two will ignite a lot of talk on who is the best.Manchester United are in fact on the verge of a treble, but this can only happen if they put away Chelsea in the FA Cup final later this month, while the league title is mathematically decided upon already.Liverpool fought their way to the final through a frantic penalty shoot-out against possibly any team’s best enemies Chelsea.It was surely a well-deserved victory for the Reds if one compares the many words that the Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho utters before every match.Liverpool do not have the world’s best players, but their coach Rafa Benitez always has the right medicine for the opposition.He does not talk big, but his players rise to the occasion and deliver.They would be expected to deliver though in case they meet United in the final as Alex Ferguson and his men are on a great mission to make it possible to win three titles in one season.* In case Civics win the league, congratulations on your hard work and remember that winning it for the third time will be underlined as a trademark of true champions.