Kapi Natto hopeful

PNGFA boss: NSL must be transparent, accountable for sponsor KPHL, fans

By ROBINSON LEKA
PAPUA New Guinea Football Association (PNGFA) president John Kapi Natto has promised more transparency and cooperation between National Soccer League (NSL) and major sponsor Kumul Petroleum Holdings Limited this season.
“Last year, we had no sponsors. It was tough to get our league going,” he said during the season launching at the Laguna Hotel in Port Moresby on Thursday.
“But we are grateful to the Kumul Petroleum Holdings chairman and board who have been our main backers in taking football forward.
“This year, they’ve come in and they’re working with us and our management, putting the systems and processes in place because they don’t want to see us fall.
“We must do our part, we must be accountable, we must be transparent, our governance must be very high.
“We must be prudent with how we handle the competition and how we run our finances so that we can please our partners and supporters.”
Kapi Natto outlined a home-and-away system for this season with PNGFA and NSL deciding to shelve the conference format.
“Last season, there were 27 clubs. This season, there is only 10 and the level of competitiveness will be high.
“Unfortunately, the conference system could not work because some teams could not support their clubs.
“And the clubs were finding it difficult to sustain themselves.”
New Guinea Islands clubs have been the most affected following the system change and constraints with no team from the region competing in the league this season.