Chernet Awuish: From the bench to the spotlight at Hawassa Ketema

Hawassa Ketema were dangling in the relegation zone for the larger part of the 2024/25 Ethiopian Premier League season. Their fortunes turned around after appointing former midfielder Mulugeta Miheret as head coach.

The former Ethiopian international changed how the Lakers play and gave the likes of Chernet Awuish the chance to shine. Awuish was born in Hawassa and came through the Hawassa Ketema youth team. The pacy winger, under the guidance of Miheret, is rediscovering his form. He sat down for a brief interview with Pan-Africa Football on his form and life at Hawassa Ketema.

PAF: At the start of the season, you were finding it hard to break into the starting XI, but now under head coach Mulugeta Miheret, you are getting playing time. What is the reason behind it?

Chernet Awuish: I was not playing frequently when the season kicked off. Even if I was performing well at times, I wasn’t getting minutes. The new coach believes in performance — if you can perform well, you will get an opportunity. It’s up to you to take that chance. When I got the chance, I tried to take it. I still believe I should do more, and I believe I am taking my chances.

PAF: Was there an effect on your mentality at first when you did not play much at the start of the season?

Awuish: When you sit on the bench, you feel bad. You will have remorse. I sat more on the bench, but I still think I should have shined more when I got the chance. Evidently, the pressure is immense. But I take the pressure as a challenge, so I am trying to give 100% back to the team.

PAF: How do you assess the second half of the season for Hawassa Ketema?

Awuish: No one predicted Hawassa Ketema would enter the relegation zone at first. People expected the team to be in the Top 4. In the first part of the season, we were performing poorly. The coordination was not there. We lost many points. It really affected us. In the second part of the season, things have changed. We have this winning mentality that we gained after the second round kicked off. It is a different Hawassa Ketema that we are showing now.

PAF: You lost the Ethiopian Cup quarterfinal game against eventual finalists Wolayta Dicha. How did it feel to lose the Cup, especially as you were the favorites?

Awuish: I still feel frustrated about that game, by the way. We fought hard, and it was unfair that the game went to a penalty shootout. We should have killed the tie before full time. I still believe we should have been the ones to reach the final.

PAF: Do you believe league games being played in Hawassa made it easier for you to win matches?

Awuish: Normally, there is a difference when you have backing from your supporters. It was an advantage that league games were played in Hawassa. We took that home advantage well. That Ethiopian Cup fixture against Wolayta Dicha was also played in Hawassa, and I wished we could have won it for the fans, but unfortunately, that did not happen.

PAF: Let’s talk about your goal against Ethiopian Insurance. Take me through it.

Awuish: To be honest, I did not expect to score such a goal. We were down 2-0. I looked to the bench, and they were preparing to sub me off. I saw my number on the board, so I was telling myself I would leave the pitch without doing anything. As soon as I received the ball, I hit it, and I could only see it in the net. Even my friends were surprised by the goal. That was an unreal moment. I’m happy with it. I’m still getting more scoring chances, and I still think I should score more goals.

PAF: Do you work more on your shooting ability from outside the box?

Awuish: After concluding the regular training session, I still try to work on my shooting skills. I believe I can score more if I continue to work on this. I understand that I need to focus more on it during my personal training sessions.

PAF: How do you rate the playing style of Hawassa Ketema under coach Miheret?

Awuish: I don’t think our team plays direct football. When Ali Sulieman is up front, the opponents are frightened. He scores and he is very fast. He suits our style of play. We play more in transition and fast breaks. It’s a totally different style of play compared to what we showed earlier this season under the previous coach. When you’re in the relegation zone, you can’t play freely due to the stress, but now we are performing much better.