Civics and Brave Warriors defender Amos Shiyuka bid farewell to the game at a glittering gala dinner at the Windhoek Country Club on Friday, June 29.
Leading sport and soccer officials like Minister of Sport John Mutorwa and members of the South African Legends team, including former stars like Doc Khumalo, Phil Masinga and Tebogo Moloi attended the dinner which also served as a fundraiser for various Namibian charities.
Shiyuka joined Civics as a 16-year-old in 1994 and stayed with the club throughout his career. He went on to captain the club and won several awards along the way, including the Premier League, the MTC NFA Cup and the FNB Cup.
Hosea Kaiyamo
Shiyukaâ??s first coach, Hosea Kaiyamo, who was also his primary school teacher, paid tribute to him.
â??I was his first coach and Iâ??m happy that I could have contributed to his career. Amos has always been disciplined and led by example. I hope that todayâ??s youngsters can take a leaf out of the book of this humble man,â? he said.
Doctor Khumalo said he hoped that Shiyuka would not be lost to the game.
â??Namibian football needs his expertise. He deserves to be honoured like this after what he has done for Namibian football,â? he said.
â??Amos, for what you have done, you are my role model. Youâ??re just a humble gentleman, but youâ??ll be humbled tomorrow (on the soccer field),â? he added.
Helmuth Scharnowski
The vice president of Civics, George de Purificao read a letter by Civics president Helmuth Scharnowski who could not be present at the occasion.
Scharnowski expressed regret at not being present at the dinner.
â??A coach does not leave his boys alone, even in the greatest calamities,â? he said.
Scharnowski recalled the early years when he asked Shiyuka to join Civics.
â??You listened to a German, who said if you follow me you will be the best in three years time, and today you are,â? he said.
â??I can still see the sceptism on your face. I thought if I can win Amos over, the others will follow, and he joined and started trusting me bit by bit,â? he said.
â??Without your fighting spirit, we would not have achieved our success. Amos, you are a team player, a real gentleman and a role model for the Namibian youth,â? he added.
Scharnowski said that Shiyuka would stay on at the club in a new role.
â??You have completed your task and Civics has already reserved a new role for you,â? he said, without elaborating.
Minister John Mutorwa
Minister Mutorwa elaborated on the â??noble values of sportâ? like teamwork, fairness, honesty and integrity.
â??Itâ??s about rules and respect for law and order â?? you have to be disciplined. Itâ??s about teamwork, where the individual becomes secondary. There are many noble values you can acquire through sport. Itâ??s not just about winning â?? even a team that loses also makes a contribution,â? he said.
After dinner an auction was held to raise funds for various Namibian charities.
A representative of Total Namibia paid N$5 000 for Docter Khumaloâ??s signed Bafana Bafana socccr jersey, while a member of the South African team paid N$7 000 for Phil Masingaâ??s signed Bafana Bafana soccer jersey.
Albertus Auchamub of MTC paid N$11 000 for Amos Shiyukaâ??s signed Civics jersey, while Shiyuka himself paid N$6 000 for Collin Benjaminâ??s signed Hamburg jersey.
Frank Fredericks paid N$6 000 for Lucas Radebeâ??s signed Bafana Bafana jersey.