Tellingly, the author came to know Samuel ‘Olly’ Tjizumaue, through his cousin.
My departed trusted buddy Billy Tuahepa found him to be an extremely cool, calculated boy of decent upbringing, an elegant dresser, well-spoken and very respectful young man of mild manners, amongst his many commendable traits.
A product of the Kuisebmund Secondary School in his hometown Walvis Bay, ‘Olly’ rose to prominence during his lodging at the Okakarara Secondary School, pulling the strings in the middle of the park for the school’s senior football team.
A flawless attacking midfielder, the well-structured tallish boy from Otjimbingwe, possessed all the required attributes of a complete baller.
Comfortably fitted with a big engine, ‘Olly’s close ball control was something out of this world.
He was strong, and could shield the spherical object fairly well under pressure.
He provided fantastic link play between the midfield and strikers with jaw-dropping attacking flair and eye for a killer pass from tight angles when least expected.
‘Olly’ was very intelligent, effortlessly opened tight defences with his trademark well-weighted killer passes.
‘Olly’ was a younger brother to another ‘footie’ retired Eleven Arrows flying winger Horse Tjizumaue in addition to being uncle to professional midfielder Dennis Tjizumaue.
Admittedly, ‘Olly’ was the heartbeat of Omeva’s free flowing midfield combo alongside the equally talented Sandro de Gouveia and pocket size midfield general Koko Muatunga. The lanky midfield kingpin was in the starting lineup when the Birds defeated archrivals African Stars in an action-packed final of the BP Top 8 Cup at Windhoek’s Independence stadium in 1996.
Ronald John Wentzil 1952-2025
Ronald Wentzil arrived in South West Africa (SWA) in the mid-70s alongside fellow Capetonians Goggo’ Barreto, Willy Rwida and Boet Mathews to join Khomasdal outfit Atlanta Chiefs under the stewardship of Bobby Sissing.
The ginger-haired goalie was highly rated. He often kept goal for Katutura glamour football club African Stars. He also had a stint with Tsumeb outfit Chief Santos. Ronald was selected for the star-studded Central Invitational Eleven against the visiting Kaizer Chiefs in a well-attended exhibition match at the old Katutura stadium in 1976.
Arguably one of the finest shot stoppers in the business, the soft-spoken net-guard was amongst a galaxy of football stars recruited for the newly formed City United under the guidance of football gurus Bobby Sissing and Vic Lovell after the inevitable introduction of mixed-race football in apartheid South West Africa in 1977.
Nicholas ‘Kandler’ Tjiho 1957-2025
The art of goal-keeping runs in the veins of the football-playing multiple Tjiho siblings as can be attested by the large number of goalkeepers amongst the siblings. It all started with elder brother Ratjindua Katjimune, who kept goal for Katutura giants African Stars FC.
Younger brother Kahoo manned the sticks for youthful Katutura outfits Young Terrors and Cosmos.
Additionally, incumbent Brave Warriors number one Lloyd Kazapua is the biological son of Katjimune. Brothers Job and Bobby Tjiho were formidable defenders in their own right, plying their trade with Flames and African Stars, respectively, at different intervals.
A qualified schoolteacher by profession, the soft-spoken light skinned goalie was teasingly nicknamed ‘Kandler’ after prominent local meat supplier Kandler by his naughty friends in reference to his after-school errands at the popular Butchery, located in Kaiser Strasse.
‘Kandler’ was the designated gloves man for Augustineum Inter-Hostel social team Windhoek City. The agile last line of defence also guarded the sticks for African Stars second strings. He was also formidable rugby player turning out for the Augustineum Secondary School first team.
Gregorius Greg Hagedoorn 1971-2025
A chip off the old block, Greg played club football for boyhood team Namib Woestyn FC alongside his equally gifted brother Doc. The son of club legend, Daito Hagedoorn, Greg was a highly gifted midfielder with phenomenal ball control. He was a member of the South West Africa mixed race youth team during the apartheid era. The highly skilful midfield ace also had a stint with exciting Kuisebmund outfit Explorer Eleven.
Parent club Namib Woestyn describes Greg as a dedicated cadre of the institution through a short message of condolences to the bereaved family. ‘We are deeply saddened by death of Greg. Please know that our hearts bleed for his family and children during this unimaginable time of grief’, reads the strong message verbatim.