WINDHOEK – Wessel Nanuseb finally calls it quits with Orlando Pirates management.
As a young boy growing up in the Damara section of Katutura township, Nanuseb was hooked to football, but the soft-spoken and articulate lad will be better remembered for his administrative acumen rather than his presence on the field. His genes dictated that he should be involved in the beautiful game as his uncle Bigman Nanuseb was the pillar of strength in the heart of the Pirates rearguard. Wessel served his boyhood club in various capacities with distinction until he silently disappeared from the scene, prompting questions over his whereabouts. “After weighing numerous options regarding my further involvement in the game, I resolved to call it quits after almost two decades of labouring in assisting football development and administration,” Wessel said when he announced his departure from the game recently.
Katutura football club Orlando Pirates have a long and illustrious history, which dates back to the days of the old location in the 1960’s. The history of the Ghosts is about a wide range of quirky and abstruse facts, from the acrobatic exploits of great shot-stoppers Abel Nero and Japhet ‘Bump Jive’ Hellao to the astonishing goal-scoring prowess of Lemmy Narib, Daniel Koopman, Wilem Eichab and Michael ‘Ou Pine’ Pienaar. These tales encompass the famous black and white strip outfit and who would ever forget the outstanding defensive work of former Buccaneers strongman, one Ananias ‘Big Man’ Nanuseb. The history of Pirates stands as a testimony to the unique and highly significant contribution the Ghosts have made to the history of Namibian football.
By Carlos Kambaekwa