Africa-Press – Namibia. MTC Namibia Netball Premier League champions, Namibia Correctional Services, are searching for a new head coach to lead their title defence following the recent departure of Manuel Tjivera under a cloud.
Tjivera made history when he led an unbeaten NCS to the inaugural premiership crown last year. However, the team has struggled to replicate that terrific form from their title winning campaign, and currently trail last season’s runners-up Mighty Gunners by two points.
Gunners handed NCS their first defeat before the league’s recess.
And according to Tjivera, unrelenting discord behind the scenes has derailed the team’s rhythm, forcing him to tender his resignation.
The club and Tjivera gave contrasting accounts for his exit ahead of the resumption of league action this weekend.
“Yes he has resigned. The team accepted his resignation. He left in good faith, that’s all I’m going to comment,” the NCS head of recreation and culture Sheena Nghilundilua.
“We are working on that [Tjivera’s replacement], to see how we will finish the rest of the season.”
In a scathing resignation letter issued on Wednesday, 13 July, the former national team coach said the decision to quit was not made “impulsively, rather it is a move that was arrived at after much soul-searching and discussion”.
Tjivera’s ire was primarily directed at NCS team manager Lizauni Tjitemiza and captain Frieda Iindongo.
“I believe that the timing of my decision is in the best interest of the team manager and team captain as they believe that the NCS Netball team belongs to them,” Tjivera said.
“On many occasions my personal relations were at the forefront of discussions from the team manager with some players, which showed me that her integrity is highly questionable.
“We had numerous official counselling meetings with the team manager to mentor the situation, but nothing seems to change to the point that she needed to understand that I am the head coach and her being manager,” Tjivera said.
“I am serving on the national coaches association and the coaches commission and would not want to be connected to anything negative in netball.”
The NCS start their post-Tjivera era with an away match at Walvis Bay against struggling Blue Waters on Saturday before taking on Young Stars the following day.
Meanwhile, log leaders Mighty Gunners take on Young Stars on Saturday and then play basement dwellers Eleven Arrows on Sunday.
Otjozondjupa Nampol in third place face Rebels (seventh) and then Tigers (4th), who also have the Namibian Navy (5th) to contend with.
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