FORMER African Stars hotshot Bernhard Neumann was one of the most powerful midfielders of his generation.
It is unbelievable that the Grootfontein-born former left-winger-turned-midfielder, is naturally right footed because he spent most of his career playing on the left side of the Stars attack.
Like most youngsters from back in the days, Neumann started playing football in the dusty streets of Umulunga township at Grootfontein and it was not long before he was drafted into the Makalani Primary School soccer team.
He did not only shine as a soccer player but he, with his younger brother Richard Neumann, Karl ‘Ma!oa’ Mowers and Gottfried ‘Sina’ Monyuka, was renowned for breathtaking cycling skills.
The powerfully built youngster became a household name in Grootfontein after he was drafted into the Poison Arrows first team at the age of 15, where he played alongside club hero Poriro Upingasana, Curtis Bamm and Don Kavindjima.
Shortly after, he was recruited by the late Chief Santos striker Selle Augumeb to the Tsumeb outfit in 1979 but left for Okakarara Secondary School in 1980.
Says Neumann: “While I was at Okakarara Secondary School I attracted the attention of African Stars. We played a friendly against Stars and I gave a good account of myself that Oscar Mengo persuaded me to join them.
He joined Stars in 1982 and went on to win many league titles and trophies with Stars and established himself as one of the best midfielders in the country.
Neumann was a dead ball specialist who could score directly from a free-kick or a corner kick and could pack a tremendous shot with both feet.
“I played my best football at African Stars and worked very hard to be in the starting line-up. I practised hard on my shooting skills and soon I could scoring goals from very tight positions.
“But no matter how hard I tried, I could not attract national team selectors and, as a result, I never represented my country. I am not disappointed because I knew the people selected ad done a good job to appease the coaches,” he says.
Neumann was however selected for the then South West Africa army team which also competed in the Currie Cup tournament in South Africa, during his two-year compulsory military service call-up.
He joined the powerful Chelsea FC for one season after he was transferred to his home town Grootfontein in 1986.
His short spell with the Grootfontein giants almost ended in disaster after a life-threatening car accident on their way back to Grootfontein from a match in Windhoek.
He returned to African Stars in 1987 and for them with distinction until he retired in 1995.
Neumann worked as chief animal health inspector in the ministry of agriculture’s directorate of veterinary services from 1984 and retired in 2018.
“My job was very complex and technical. The animal health technicians, as the health inspectors are now called, reported to me as the chief health inspector for Khomas region, after they did animal inspections at the farms and auctions.
“Our main duty is to inspect all animals being imported from or exported to South Africa, for an example. We also had a 24 hour-presence at Meatco, inspecting all the meat products,” he says.
Neumann is now a very dedicated commercial farmer in the Berg Aukas area of Grootfontein district, where he is farming with cattle, goats and sheep.
“I am in a very good position because I know a lot about animal diseases,” he says. “I put that experience to good use on my farm and it gives me a big advantage with farming.”
He has three employees on the farm, two of whom look after cattle and the other looks after goats and sheep.
“Together we decide on when to buy or when to sell or auction the animals.
“Farming has improved tremendously with the animals are now fetching very good prices, unlike in the past when we sold out of desperation,” he explained.
Neumann has been married to Engenesie Jazepavandu for 31 years and he is a proud father of four girls and three boys.
One of his daughter’s Anelda plays football and netball for the police team, while his son Katutjivirue attends a football development academy. Neumann is no longer involved in sport.
He says the secret behind his success on the pitch stems from being a good listener and hard work.
“I developed a good shooting technique by listening attentively to more experienced teammates when they advised me how to improve my shooting.
“I was also lucky that I was good with both feet but most goalkeepers expected me to shoot with my left foot and got caught unawares,” he says.
He says he misses the tough training session and the packed stadiums on match day, especially the old Katutura Stadium and the Independence Stadium.
Neumann says that he is happy with the way his life panned out – particularly the quiet life he is living with no work stress.
His advice to young players is that they must put modern technology to good use by learning new techniques from the internet to improve their own game.
“Players must try improve themselves and take advice from teammates and coach seriously. Be passionate about what you do and commit yourself to the objectives and goals set by your coach. However, that can only be achieved with discipline,” he said.
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