Eeshoke Chula Chula head coach John Sikerete says his side’s primary objective remains survival in the Namibia Premier Football League, despite climbing to the top of the log after back-to-back victories over the past weekend.
Sikerete’s charges beat Tigers 4-2 in Windhoek before edging Young Africans 1-0 at Gobabis, results that have sparked talk of a possible title challenge. However, the coach insists the focus is firmly on consolidation rather than silverware.
“Our target is to stay in the premier league and see what we can do in two or three seasons to come,” Sikerete says. “This is a very young team assembled this season and playing together for the first time.”
He says the squad was rebuilt almost entirely from scratch after losing the core of his previous team.
Only captain David Aingwafa remains from the side he coached in the first division that gained promotion and competed for two seasons in the top flight.
Three youngsters, Michael Jonas, Ano Itta, and Siyave Johannes, have also been retained, although they were not regular starters previously.
“This team was just recently assembled,” Sikerete says.
“These are relatively young players who are willing to learn and willing to fight for the club. It’s not really a team made up of stars to challenge for the title.”
Sikerete says the club has only three foreign players, with the rest drawn from various regions across Namibia, including the Otjozondjupa, Zambezi, Kavango, Ohangwena, Oshana, and Omusati regions.
The head coach believes their hunger and determination have been key to their strong start.
While supporters and pundits have begun comparing Chula Chula’s competitiveness with more established and experienced sides in the league, Sikerete remains cautious.
“We are taking it game by game. Whatever happens along the road, we take it,” he says.
The northern-based crowd-pullers will travel to the coast over the weekend to face Eleven Arrows on Saturday and Blue Waters on Sunday.
In an age of information overload, Sunrise is The Namibian’s morning briefing, delivered at 6h00 from Monday to Friday. It offers a curated rundown of the most important stories from the past 24 hours – occasionally with a light, witty touch. It’s an essential way to stay informed. Subscribe and join our newsletter community.
The Namibian uses AI tools to assist with improved quality, accuracy and efficiency, while maintaining editorial oversight and journalistic integrity.
Stay informed with The Namibian – your source for credible journalism. Get in-depth reporting and opinions for
only N$85 a month. Invest in journalism, invest in democracy –
Subscribe Now!
