Namibian football has produced a significant number of football-playing siblings, but none have captured the imagination of the neutral fan more than the quartet of Young Ones Football Club Willemse brothers, namely Lance, Dean, Johnny and Danny.
Nomtsoub outfits Benfica and Chief Santos had their trident of football-playing siblings in the shape of Daddy, Packs and Lovey Uushona, exciting Grootfontein outfit Chelsea boasted the free-scoring Damaseb brothers: Orlando, Pele and Steven.
Coastal giants Blue Waters were represented by the amazing Muatunga brothers Phello, Hanga, Koko and Phello Jr, while Portuguese outfit Sparta United was not to be outdone either. The silky Portuguese outfit housed the dangerous quintet of the de Gouveia brothers, Ivo, Carlos, Emedio, Louis and Sandro holding the fort.
For Young Ones, even though elder brother Lance was hogging the limelight, younger brother Johnny was arguably the most gifted in terms of genuine football virtuosity and pure talent.
The pocket-size attacking midfielder might not be well known in the annals of domestic football, but ‘Ku-Jakes’, as Johnny is affectionately known amongst his peers, made a name for himself beyond Namibian borders during his student days in the Cape Province, South Africa. New Era Sport finally caught up with the now-retired baby-face playmaker as he relives his amazing football journey carved on foreign soil in full detail.
ν Carlos ©CK© Kambaekua
Born Johnny Willemse on the 16th of February 1963 in the eastern parts of the country, Omaheke’s capital, Gobabis, young Johnny grew up in Windhoek after his parents relocated to the city of bright lights while he was hardly out of his diapers. He developed an early interest in playing football at Emma Greef Primary School, Khomasdal, before making his debut for Young Ones, aged 16, in the highly competitive Central Football Association (CFA) second-tier league.
‘Ku-Jakes’ was a bit of a squad member for the exciting youthful Khomasdal outfit the ‘Kings at Night’, as Young Ones was affectionately known amongst her ardent fans during the team’s unavoidable promotion to the elite league in 1983, having pipped bitter rivals Hungry Lions to the posts for the coveted league title.
In the meantime, ‘Ku-Jakes’ also featured for the Ella du Plessis High School team, effortlessly pulling the strings in the middle of the park under the stewardship of the late Vernon Kloppers.
Some of his prominent teammates were Mike Peterson, Donkey Madjiet, Lesley Basson, Moses Tsela and Harald von Luthichau, among the galaxy of emerging superstars.
With starting berths hard to come by, ‘Ku-Jakes’ teamed up with the majority of Young Ones’ second-string side and some fringe squad members to form Swansea, campaigning in the popular militant Central Namibia Football Association League (CNFA), under the much-despised slogan, ‘No Normal Sport in an Abnormal Society’.
In 1983, ‘Ku-Jakes’ left his motherland in pursuit of fulfilling his long-held academic aspirations at the revered Peninsula Technikon in Bellville, Cape Town. The stocky midfield kingpin quickly cemented his status as a trusted team leader and noted baller, who mesmerised opposing teams with some jaw-dropping displays in the middle of the park.
A complete baller, blessed with a brilliant first touch and a decent eye for a killer pass from tight angles, ‘Ku-Jakes’ was deservedly rewarded for his tireless efforts and near faultless displays with a place in the strong Western Province College Invitational Eleven for the highly-competitive South African Training College Association tournament between 1983 and 1985.
Additionally, the silky Namibian was selected for the South African Inter-College team in 1985. Upon completion of his tertiary studies, ‘Ku-Jakes’ returned home, only to resurface in the mining town of Oranjemund in 1987.
He joined local giants Ocean Spurs and was duly selected to represent CDM in the annual Chamber of Mines Multi-Sport Games in 1990.
After four solid years in the southern diamond-rich mining town, the polished playmaker developed itchy feet and was back in familiar territory. He rejoined his parent team, Young Ones, to be reunited with elder brothers Lance and Sakuman – and in later years, Danny also joined the fray.
‘Ku-Jakes’ formed an integral part of the Kings at Night’s engine room and was the mainstay of the team’s attractive style of one-touch football. He went on to represent the team in the Caf Club Championship Cup, which saw Young Ones progress to the third round of the continental august showpiece before bowing out to Ethiopian outfit Insurance.
The likeable midfielder called it quits at the fairly advanced age of 34 after winning almost all the available silverware in the domestic topflight league with the Kings at Night. However, ‘Ku-Jakes’ was not lost to football, as he turned his hand to coaching and mentoring the Windhoek High School (WHS) team and former team Young Ones in the lower-tier league.
‘Ku-Jakes’ still has fond memories of the historic Club Thriller Cup final against the Katutura giants African Stars. Young Ones defeated the Reds with all the Willemse siblings on the field. That particular live televised match will be best remembered for Charles Mubita’s commentary: “From Willemse to the other Willemse and again to another Willemse”, leaving the viewers in absolute awe.
The now-retired midfielder cites former Young Ones teammate Dove Fransman as his outright favourite player. He also holds his departed old man Oom Kolie Willemse, Uncle Bobby Sissing, Nose Morgenroth and Boet Mathews in high esteem.
His ultimate wish is to see Namibian football turn fully professional.