Isaacs blasts sport reporters

BRAVE Warriors team manager Tim Isaacs yesterday accused sports writers of stirring up an unnecessary storm ahead of the team’s crucial matches.

He said the local media were in the habit of writing negative reports about the team ahead of international encounters, which in his opinion led to confusion and demoralised the players. Isaacs said this when The Namibian Sport asked him about player bonuses and medical insurance ahead of international matches in general.”The media are doing an injustice to players, the coaching staff and the administrators by reporting negatively days before the team plays in international matches.I know that the media can enquire about certain issues, but I don’t think it is fair to write about sensitive issues that can lead to the players being demoralised while in camp.Why don’t you write about these things when the team is not in camp?” he asked.Isaacs said reporters tended to influence the thinking of players through their reporting and gave them “a negative mentality” about the offers made by the NFA.Isaacs, who also doubles as the administrative secretary of Civics Football Club, said he knows that reporters are looking for stories on the team continuously, but they should be careful about what they write because they can destroy the mood in the camp ahead of crucial matches.”They should be reporting in the best interest of the team because the players need to be in a positive frame of mind.If there is no clarification on some of the issues, they should seek information from the designated people such as the spokesman of the association,” he said.Isaacs, who has so far been solid in the team manager role for the Warriors since he took over from the long-serving Lesley Kozonguizi, said he was not at liberty to discuss sensitive matters such as player bonuses with the media.He said he cannot give specific amounts for each player, but pointed out that once the players are called to camp, they receive a daily allowance and also get appearance fees and bonuses for a win and a draw.Asked who covers the medical costs when players get injured during training or play, Isaacs said the Namibia Football Association (NFA) covers all the medical costs.Isaacs said the players have signed a memorandum of understanding for the Cosafa Senior Challenge Cup matches in South Africa at the weekend.He said their medical insurance was explained to them verbally but was not on paper as one of the conditions for playing in the national team.He said each player, and any member of the Brave Warriors travelling delegation, gets travel insurance in case anything happens while on national duty.When asked about some of the players that have been omitted such as Sydney Plaatjies, who recently signed for South African powerhouse Mamelodi Sundowns, and striker Wilko Risser, he said the players are currently on pre-season with their respective teams and could thus not be released.He said Plaatjies joined the team recently and the association did not want to jeopardise his future, as he was one of the new players at the team and needed to be part of the team during their pre-season tours.On the accommodation of new Belgian coach Tom Santfiet, Isaacs said he would be based at the Safari Court hotel like his predecessor Arie Schans.Asked if it was not costly, Isaacs said they had negotiated special monthly rates with the hotel, which in the NFA’s view were reasonable.The association is said to be spending close to N$10 000 a month on the coach’s hotel fees.Santfiet will also drive a rented car during his stay.Namibia play in Group B against Comoros Islands, Malawi and Lesotho in matches starting on Saturday until July 24 in South Africa’s Mpumalanga Province.Isaacs said this when The Namibian Sport asked him about player bonuses and medical insurance ahead of international matches in general.”The media are doing an injustice to players, the coaching staff and the administrators by reporting negatively days before the team plays in international matches.I know that the media can enquire about certain issues, but I don’t think it is fair to write about sensitive issues that can lead to the players being demoralised while in camp.Why don’t you write about these things when the team is not in camp?” he asked.Isaacs said reporters tended to influence the thinking of players through their reporting and gave them “a negative mentality” about the offers made by the NFA.Isaacs, who also doubles as the administrative secretary of Civics Football Club, said he knows that reporters are looking for stories on the team continuously, but they should be careful about what they write because they can destroy the mood in the camp ahead of crucial matches.”They should be reporting in the best interest of the team because the players need to be in a positive frame of mind.If there is no clarification on some of the issues, they should seek information from the designated people such as the spokesman of the association,” he said.Isaacs, who has so far been solid in the team manager role for the Warriors since he took over from the long-serving Lesley Kozonguizi, said he was not at liberty to discuss sensitive matters such as player bonuses with the media.He said he cannot give specific amounts for each player, but pointed out that once the players are called to camp, they receive a daily allowance and also get appearance fees and bonuses for a win and a draw.Asked who covers the medical costs when players get injured during training or play, Isaacs said the Namibia Football Association (NFA) covers all the medical costs.Isaacs said the players have signed a memorandum of understanding for the Cosafa Senior Challenge Cup matches in South Africa at the weekend.He said their medical insurance was explained to them verbally but was not on paper as one of the conditions for playing in the national team.He said each player, and any member of the Brave Warriors travelling delegation, gets travel insurance in case anything happens while on national duty.When asked about some of the players that have been omitted such as Sydney Plaatjies, who recently signed for South African powerhouse Mamelodi Sundowns, and striker Wilko Risser, he said the players are currently on pre-season with their respective teams and could thus not be released.He said Plaatjies joined the team recently and the association did not want to jeopardise his future, as he was one of the new players at the team and needed to be part of the team during their pre-season tours.On the accommodation of new Belgian coach Tom Santfiet, Isaacs said he would be based at the Safari Court hotel like his predecessor Arie Schans.Asked if it was not costly, Isaacs said they had negotiated special monthly rates with the hotel, which in the NFA’s view were reasonable.The association is said to be spending close to N$10 000 a month on the coach’s hotel fees.Santfiet will also drive a rented car during his stay.Namibia play in Group B against Comoros Islands, Malawi and Lesotho in matches starting on Saturday until July 24 in South Africa’s Mpumalanga Province.