Yei Joint Stars president Eng. Lemi William says the development of football in South Sudan cannot be left to clubs alone, calling for greater involvement from supporters, businesses and well-wishers.
Lemi made the call as Yei Joint Stars prepare to represent South Sudan at the CECAFA tournament in Rwanda.
According to the club president, many football administrators in South Sudan are forced to combine their leadership responsibilities with financial support for their teams because of limited resources.
“Just like the president, you act as a president and a sponsor at the same time,” Lemi said.
He argued that stronger support is needed if South Sudanese teams are to close the gap with clubs from other countries in the region.
The president also pointed to transportation as one of the major challenges facing local clubs, saying only a small number of teams have their own buses.
Lemi believes the situation requires collective action rather than placing the responsibility on individual clubs.
“It’s not my team, it’s not somebody’s team, this is our team,” he said.
Yei Joint Stars, the reigning South Sudan women’s champions, are aiming to make their sixth CECAFA appearance a historic one by reaching the final for the first time.
