Blue Boys head coach, Ali Akan has conceded that the Swakopmund-based club are in a relegation battle this season, after seeing his side collecting only one point at home over the past weekend.
The team’s match against Young Brazilians on Sunday, ended in a 1:1 draw. This after, the Blue Boys got a thumping of 2:0 from title chasers Khomas NamPol the past Saturday.
Following the two games, Akan lashed out at his players and the team’s entire management urging them to start working as a unit, if the team is to avoid the chop from top flight football. Three teams from the Debmarine Premiership will be relegated.
“We just want to stay out of the relegation zone. That is our target. We are a new team and the older players are mostly coming from the second division and it is very difficult to fight for the top eight. We cannot drop six points at home. It is unacceptable. But it happened and we have to accept it,” he said.
The head coach explained the remedy needed to ensure that his team retains its Premiership status, come the end of the season, and is for the players to start finding the net more often.
“Not scoring goals and conceding goals has been the problem for the team,” the coach maintained.
Blue Boys have only scored eight goals, only the bottom three have scored fewer goals than them.
While at the back, the team has let in 14 goals, only Cuca Tops (18 goals), Young Brazilians (16 goals) and Okahandja United (15 goals) have let in more goals than Akan’s side.
“We must fight. Players must work hard and show character. And it is not only me, management too. Yes, we have problems, but we must solve the problems. We have the talent and if we solve all the problems we have, we can stay in the league,” said Akan.

MISSED CHANCES

Referring to the past weekend, Akan maintained that his team missed glorious chances to beat Brazilians, and failed to capitalize on the poor second half performance of the fellow strugglers.
“The first half much better, we scored the goal and dominated the game. When the wind was against us and they were playing the long balls, unfortunately we conceded from one of the set pieces.”
“The second half we gave the game away and even though the performance was good enough. We just want to stay out of the relegation zone,” said Akan after the match against Young Brazilians.
Andreas Joseph scored Blue Boys’ goal after ten minutes, curling in an unstoppable shot from outside the penalty area beyond the reach of Young Brazilians goalkeeper, Donald Boois.
Young Brazilians piled on the pressure in the second half and their endeavors were rewarded as a corner lead to Vickson Shivute heading in from close range with 12 minutes of the encounter left.
Blue Boys returned to the topflight league this season after more than 15 years in the lower division, ever since they were relegated to the Southern Stream first division in 2011.
The boys in blue are currently fourth form bottom in 13th place with 12 points from 13 matches.
With matches coming thick and fast and 17 matches still to play for, the seasonal and veteran coach Akan there are no reasons to why he should not start panicking.
Blue Boys are only a point ahead of Karasburg side Young Brazilians in 14th position with 11 points, and two points ahead of another coastal  side Blue Waters  with 10 points, although Blue Waters have a game in hand over Blue Boys.
There is a possibility that next season we might not see any team from the coast playing in the top flight league, with Blue Boys and Blue Waters the only teams from the coast in the Debmarine Premiership.