Players blocked from attending trials with SA Premiership club

THREE Namibia Premier League (NPL) players are understood to have been denied a chance by their clubs to go for trials with South African Premiership side Dynamos.

Ramblers striker Costa Khaiseb and teammate, Esau Tjiuoro, a goalkeeper for the side and African Stars defender Bobby Kaapama could not make the trip to Giyani in South Africa for the trials recently. But the clubs claim that Dynamos did not follow the right procedure in their attempt to get the players to South Africa.Dynamos Head Coach Anteneh Eshete told The Namibian Sport yesterday that he was disappointed by the officials of Ramblers and African Stars for refusing to release the players for trials.He said he came to Namibia to look for players to join his club of which he was appointed coach earlier this year.”I am very disappointed by the behaviour of the clubs as I wanted to help them (players) get exposed and possibly be taken up by other bigger clubs in that league,” he said.But, Ramblers official Mario Carreira said Eshete was not “professional enough in his approach when he wanted to get the players to South Africa for trials”.”He wanted the clearances of the players forthwith and take them down to South Africa without consulting the club,” he said.Some officials of the Namibia Football Association (NFA) had also tried to assist to get the players to South Africa without the consent of their clubs, Carreira claimed.He said Tjiuoro was “hijacked” and taken to South Africa, but Khaiseb and Kaapama could not go as their clubs blocked the moves after realising that Eshete was in the country to lure the players to Dynamos.Tjiuoro has since returned after its club insisted that he comes back.Carreira said Eshete initially demanded that the players be released from their clubs, despite their contractual obligations.Eshete claims that the Namibian authorities have denied the players an opportunity to build their career in football, while they have also taken away what could have been the “possible bread of the players from their mouths”.”It is a shame that these officials act in that way while I tried to get these players into big time football,” he said.Eshete said the starting salary for any player at Dynamos is N$15 000, with a N$1 500 bonus for a win and an additional N$1 000 if a player is in the starting line-up.African Stars chairman Mbakumua Hengari yesterday declined to comment on the issue, saying he was enjoying his lunch instead.Carreira said Eshete wanted the players to move to Dynamos on loan, but on certain conditions.”We asked them to provide proof that the players will be catered for medically, will have proper accommodation and transport whilst doing duty for the club.That was about two weeks ago.They never came back to us,” he said.But the clubs claim that Dynamos did not follow the right procedure in their attempt to get the players to South Africa.Dynamos Head Coach Anteneh Eshete told The Namibian Sport yesterday that he was disappointed by the officials of Ramblers and African Stars for refusing to release the players for trials.He said he came to Namibia to look for players to join his club of which he was appointed coach earlier this year.”I am very disappointed by the behaviour of the clubs as I wanted to help them (players) get exposed and possibly be taken up by other bigger clubs in that league,” he said.But, Ramblers official Mario Carreira said Eshete was not “professional enough in his approach when he wanted to get the players to South Africa for trials”.”He wanted the clearances of the players forthwith and take them down to South Africa without consulting the club,” he said.Some officials of the Namibia Football Association (NFA) had also tried to assist to get the players to South Africa without the consent of their clubs, Carreira claimed.He said Tjiuoro was “hijacked” and taken to South Africa, but Khaiseb and Kaapama could not go as their clubs blocked the moves after realising that Eshete was in the country to lure the players to Dynamos.Tjiuoro has since returned after its club insisted that he comes back.Carreira said Eshete initially demanded that the players be released from their clubs, despite their contractual obligations.Eshete claims that the Namibian authorities have denied the players an opportunity to build their career in football, while they have also taken away what could have been the “possible bread of the players from their mouths”.”It is a shame that these officials act in that way while I tried to get these players into big time football,” he said.Eshete said the starting salary for any player at Dynamos is N$15 000, with a N$1 500 bonus for a win and an additional N$1 000 if a player is in the starting line-up.African Stars chairman Mbakumua Hengari yesterday declined to comment on the issue, saying he was enjoying his lunch instead.Carreira said Eshete wanted the players to move to Dynamos on loan, but on certain conditions.”We asked them to provide proof that the players will be catered for medically, will have proper accommodation and transport whilst doing duty for the club.That was about two weeks ago.They never came back to us,” he said.