Journalist Carlos Kambaekwa, reflects on the amazing football journey of former Chief Santos and South West Africa (SWA) sharpshooter Sagarias Auchumeb, better known as Celle in football circles.
Celle passed away yesterday morning after losing a long battle with severe diabetes. Young Berlin Auchumeb, will go down in history as a cult hero after he scored the much needed winning goal in the Brave Warriors come from behind 3-2 victory over big brother South Africa’s Bafana Bafana in the the annual regional Castle Lager Cup at the packed to rafters Independence stadium in 1998.
However, Berlin’s old man Celle was the real deal. The serial lethal goal scorer, will be best remembered for his well taken brace in the historic exhibition match between the blacks and whites eleven at the Suidwes stadion {Dr Hage Geingob} stadium in 1975.
That particular match would go a long way in opening up the unavoidable unbanning of racial segregation, ultimately leading to the inevitable birth of multi racial league football in apartheid South West Africa (SWA) in 1977.
One of his teammates in that SWA Black Eleven squad and former fellow Dobra student Albert Tjihero, scorer of the other goal in the 3-all stalemate, describes Celle as a complete footballer.
“I’m heavily devastated by the sad passing of Celle, he was not just a teammate, opponent and fellow student, Celle was a man of great substance, a true gentleman on and off the field. May his soul rest in peace,” says Hoonjo when this publication broke the sad news to him yesterday.
A one club man, the late Celle also had a short stint with exciting Kuisebmond outfit Namib Woestyn where he played alongside elder brother Straal Auchumeb in a devastating front line comprising of Daito Hagedoorn, Haban Adams and Axarob Doeseb. All of them have since gone the way of all flesh.
During an illustrious football career, Celle was the mainstay of Santos and oversaw several generation at the Copper Town lads until he hung up his boots after Santos humiliating 4-0 trashing at the hands of rampant Ramblers in the now defunct annual Mainstay cup final in 1985. The likeable departed wheelchair bound football icon had both his legs amputated as a result of severe diabetes. Watch this space as New Era Sport brings to you our esteemed reader a full tribute to one of the most lethal net-busters. May his soul rest in peace.