Back in the day, just after the unavoidable amalgamation of multi-racial football leagues across the colour line, there was a fairly unknown team from Omulunga township, a residential area in the north-central town of Grootfontein.
The colourful outfit wore a green, red, gold and white stripe, and was none other than Chelsea FC, a club that completely captured the imagination of many football followers.
The youthful squad was loaded with phenomenal highly gifted footballers, shepherded by the free-scoring light-skinned Francis brothers Richo and Tiger, in the good company of tireless Angolan refugee-cum-midfielder Elias Castanova, and the Damaseb cousins Orlando and Pieces.
However, it was the latter who caught the eye of the neutral football fan with his trademark bullet-like long range shots that left many respectable goalkeepers with permanently deformed fingertips
Born Daniel Damaseb in Grootfontein in 1956, from a Damaran mother and Oshiwambo-speaking father, Pieces was destined for greatness. After all, his genes dictated that he would be a footie of note, emulating the feats of his equally highly-gifted cousins Orlando, Pele, kid brother Steven Damaseb and the Black Africa football playing brothers Stu and Indies Damaseb.
In addition, Pieces’ celebrated cousin Advocate Petrus Damaseb, will go down in history as the man who almost singlehandedly turned the fortunes around of Namibian football during his flawless presidential tenure.
Having started his playing career with Rickets FC, Pieces was a founder member of Chelsea Football Club and would go on to captain the star-studded outfit with distinction. In little time, Chelsea began to make serious inroads in domestic football, notably in the maize triangle (Grootfontein, Otavi and Tsumeb).
A lifelong servant of local football, Bro Pieces goes down in history as the hottest ball shooter of all times. His devastating canon like long range shots obliged football followers to shift on the edge of their seats whenever he was positioning himself to unleash one of his trademark long range deliveries.
The spirit and memory of Bro Pieces will live on the hearts of the Chelsea football family and those who came to know him up close, including this author. In general, Bro Pieces was one of the most inspirational players in the domestic football league.
The big frame attacking midfielder was at the heart of the Chelsea side that lost back-to-back finals (4-2) (2-0) in the now defunct Mainstay Cup, the equivalent to the NFA Cup.
After blowing their opponents away en route to the final, Chelsea booked a date with Katutura giants Black Africa but found themselves at the short end of dubious referee decisions that went against them...much to the chagrin of their pocket-size travelling fans.
Nevertheless, his serial well-taken magical goals led Chelsea to victory in the following major knockout cup tournaments, NSSL title (1986), Metropolitan Cup (1987), including several high-profile competitions in towns such as Khorixas, Outjo, Tsumeb, Otavi and Otjiwarongo.
On a lighter note, the author vividly remembers one particular profoundly unpleasant episode that unfolded at the badly-constructed uneven sand field in Omulunga, Grootfontein during a highly-charged Namibia Super Soccer League (NSSL) encounter between hosts Chelsea and the visiting giant killers Hungry Lions from Windhoek in 1986.
For some strange reason, there was no referee to officiate the much-anticipated Goliath vs Dawid clash. As it turned out, Bro Pieces was hastily drafted in as the match official, much to the amazement of the visiting team.
Tellingly, the fired up ‘Lions of Judah’ found themselves two goals ahead (2-0) going into the half-time break. However, to everyone’s surprise or rather shock, Bro Pieces reappears as a second-half substitute for the home team.
Despite heavy protests from the visitors, Chelsea would not budge and Bro Pieces was reluctantly allowed to exchange identity. As fate would have it, the uncompromising ‘Lions of Judah’ held out for a narrow 2-1 triumph, despite the hosts being awarded a highly-disputed pair of quicksilver spot kicks. Nonetheless, parity was restored when Boeta Mungunda could only manage to convert one from his two attempts, having watched the first spot kick well gathered by Lions’ agile goalie Lesley Basson.
Bro Pieces also tasted provincial football when he was deservedly selected alongside his equally-talented Chelsea teammates Erich Francis and Orlando Damaseb to represent their motherland in the prestigious annual South African Inter-Provincial Currie Cup tournament in 1982.
As the likeable Chelsea skipper has left the pitch for a higher calling after losing a marathon battle with diabetes in April this year, Bro Pieces will always be remembered and held high as one of the greatest footies to have ever played the beautiful game of football on Namibian soil.
Bro Pieces joined dozens of fellow departed club legends, officials and Chelsea diehards in the following sequence led by one of Namibia’s most complete footies Meester Engelhardt ‘Larney’ Gariseb, tailed by Dr Pele Damaseb, Elvis Tsandib, Lazarus Auchumeb, Alex Somseb, Ou Bra Tsanigab, Jebron Khodiseb, Ludwig Nawatiseb, Story Hamutenya, Willem Tsandib, Lamola Gomusab, Johnny Ndemuenda, Alphons Garigub, Rapama Kamehozu, Jonas Ochurub, Titus Nawiseb, Issaskar Uiseb, Uncle Isaaks, Willy Damaseb, Gabes Xamiseb, Ugelvi siblings Angula, Gotty, Rudy, and many others. May their precious souls rest in eternal peace in one piece, collectively. Meanwhile, the family will honour their beloved Pieces with a dignified birthday celebration in heaven to coincide with his tombstone unveiling in Grootfontein this Saturday, 11 December.
Proceedings and all the customary cultural protocols will get underway at the family residence Erf 164 Straightwolf
Street, Damara location in Omulunga tomorrow at 19h00. Enquiries: Kevin Damaseb 0817659519, Glenda Ashipala 0816995558.