Khorixas
Born in the small mining town of Karibib in the Erongo region in 1958, young Eben Ndjuella grew up in Windhoek, Walvis-Bay and Tsumeb, but it was at the Copper Town that his interest in the beautiful game really took off.
The baby-faced She started out playing street football with a small club by the name of Ciloni Tigers and only rose to prominence when he joined the town’s leading team, Chief Santos Football Club.
Unlike many of his peers, who had to graduate through the youth systems, or by playing in the second-string teams before being exposed to topflight football – the slippery striker was laterally thrown into the lion’s den straight away.
It was while featuring for Santos that the small-framed slippery forward was discovered by Orlando Pirates great, the late Hendrik “Doc” Hardley, who persuaded the youngster to relocate to the city of lights (Windhoek) and join forces with Katutura giants Orlando Pirates in 1978.
Despite the presence of proven goal scorers in the mould of old guards Lemmy Narib, Eric Muinjo, Ambrosius Vyff, Alu Hummel, Moloi Amadhila and Killer Kamberipa – young She, surprisingly, walked into the Ghosts’ star-studded first team without having to shed an ounce of sweat for a starting berth.
In only his debut season with the Ghosts, he was to play a pivotal role in Orlando Pirates’ triumph in the Mainstay Cup final against eternal rivals Black Africa at the Katutura Stadium, when the Buccaneers came out tops through Eric Muinjo’s lone strike.
Pirates went into that particular match without the valuable services of inspirational veteran striker Lemmy Narib, who tied the knot on the same day. However, the players responded in the most dignified fashion by winning the match 1-0.
Despite his relatively small frame, the slippery She used to be a menace and a thorn in the flesh of many robust defenders with his speed, clever play and excellent positioning. He would always pop up at the right time and in the most appropriate positions to punish opposing teams.
However, She suffered the humiliation of being dethroned as Mainstay Cup champions on the green table after the Ghosts comfortably defended the cup by defeating the Hasso Ahrens-inspired SKW hands down in extra time at the Windhoek Stadium, thus winning the following season.
Pirates and the German club were tied at three-all after regulation time and the tie went into extra time.
The Buccaneers came out tops with Theo “Momina” Gurirab netting a late brace to give the Ghosts a well-deserved victory, only to later learn the match was a mere friendly, as Pirates were deemed ineligible for the triumph having arrived 45 minutes late for the scheduled kick-off.
Having won almost everything there was to be won in the game with his beloved Orlando Pirates, he shocked Ghosts followers when he left the club to join coastal rivals Blue Waters in Walvis Bay.
“I needed to explore new challenges and since my old buddy Moloi (Amadhila) was already there, it was easier for me to join Blue Waters,” recalls She. It was while he was a still a Blue Waters player that She got a test of provincial football, when he came on a second-half substitute against the visiting South African Professional Club Morroka Swallows in Windhoek – turning out for the Western Invitational team
“We lost the match badly by seven goals to one but I think I could have made a difference had the coaches played me from the beginning, because their defense was very slow to my liking.”
Back at club level, the pair of She and Moloi continued their amazing telepathic partnership at the Birds, but somehow failed to repeat the success they enjoyed at the Ghosts and eventually developed itchy feet again. After just one season with the Birds, Khorixas was to be their next destination where they joined forces with the town’s leading club Robber Chanties.
He still cherishes memories of his partnership with the late Orlando Pirates dribbling wizard Norries Goraseb. “That boy was something out of the ordinary, he was capable of making ordinary players look great with his accurate passes – he simplified the strikers’ work with the way he carved open tough defenses with accurate passes. Up to this day, I’m yet to witness a footballer of his caliber, vision and talent.”
Although he always enjoyed the countless derbies against perpetual rivals Black Africa, ‘She’ never looked forward to coming face to face with the uncompromising tough-tackling Black Africa pair of Carpio Kauendji and Anton “Alacatz” Kurivera.
“Those two guys were a nuisance on the field to say the least, they would stick to you like a spider. Both of them were certainly not amongst the most skillful of players, but would throw their bodies on the line all over the pitch and would always preserve their energy for Pirates. They were tireless”.
His small frame and habit of living a clean lifestyle by staying away from the disruptive Haya Water of Moag, kept him floating much longer than his peers as can be attested by his retirement age. “She” finally called it quits at the advanced age of 45 in the role of player-coach for his adopted club Robber Chanties in Khorixas, where he still resides these days.